Dragon Age Inquisition: Another Anchor
by Pikashades
Summary: Following the the death of Corypheus, the Inquisition is set helping rebuild the world of Thedas with their allies from both Ferelden and Orlais. Before the Inquisitor's allies can set down their weapons, the Inquisitions' spies and the Qunari suddenly start sending reports of another person having the Anchor in his hand and it's red color alarms them. Full summary in my profile.
1. Chapter 1: Fall of the Magister

**Author's notes:** So, the poll didn't lead anywhere but to a tie. A tie between the human Inquisitors, so I decided to use the Elven Inquisitor: Thea Lavallan, Dalish Elf Mage and a trained Knight Enchanter. She was in a relationship with Solas.

So, this story, as I said in the first behind the scenes chapter, starts of the last mission of _Dragon Age Inquisition,_ Doom Upon All The World, where the Inquisition fights Corypheus. We'll get into that after this _Star Wars_ text that sets out the current world state.

EDIT: The 'Before the Story begins' chapter is deleted for obviously giving the wrong idea of what kind of story this is. New readers, read this chapter, be shocked about it's cliff hanger and then read the **Author's notes** below for the actual explanation for it without making haste and incorrect deductions.

* * *

 **Fall of the Magister**

 _In the beginning of 9:42 Dragon, Divine Justinia V had orchestrated the Conclave as peace talks and a chance for the Rebel Mages and the Templar Order to end their war. War that had lasted for for five years since Knight Commander Meredith had in her madness attempted to execute every mage in the in the Kirkwall's Circle._

 _In her madness, Meridith had believed every mage to have succumbed into the forbidden arts of blood magic, which was only partly true. In their fear, some mages had been forced to use in their defense, but the worst offender had been the First Enchanter Orsino, who had studied the art for his last resort. Both Meridith and Orsino met their ends in the hands of Aeryn Hawke, who had three years prior rescued Kirkwall from the Qunari, deed which had earned her the title ''Champion of Kirkwall''. Deaths of the Knight Commander and the First Enchanter were the final sparks that then ignited the Mage Rebellion and lead to the Mage-Templar War._

 _But the Conclave didn't help. It was invaded and the Temple of Sacred Ashes where is was held, was destroyed by an explosion that tore rifts to the Veil between worlds and killed everyone who attended, except for one. Thea, a Dalish Elf of Clan Lavellan, had been sent by Keeper Deshanna to spy on the Conclave and surviving the explosion, the First of Clan Lavellan had been marked by a mysterious Anchor, which held the power to seal that damage done to the Veil._

 _Thea Lavellan had become known as the Herald of Andraste by the Right and Left Hands of the Divine Justinia V, under whose orders, if the Conclave would not end the Mage-Templar War, restored the Inquisition of old. With time, the Inquisiton's influence grew with it's allies and once the culprit of the Conclave's destruction was revealed, Thea was put in charge as the Inquisitor._

* * *

 _Temple of Sacred Ashes... or what's left of it_

'' _ **Tell me, where is your Maker now? Call Him! Call down His wrath upon me**_!'' called Corypheys, the ancient Darkspawn Magister, to the soldiers of the Inquisition at His mercy, the first ones at the scene after the Breach's reopening had been discovered.

'' ** _You cannot! For He does not exist! I am Corypheus! I shall deliver from this lie in which you linger! Bow before your New God and be spared._** ''

''Never!'' one of the soldiers yell back Corypheus in defiance.

'' _ **As you wish**_ ,'' Corypheys retorted not surprised and responded to the defiance by drawing rifts from the Breach and sent out terror demons to attack the soldiers.

Few were slaughtered by their talons before the rest of the Inquisition's forces arrived, lead by Inquisitor Lavellan.

'' _ **I knew You would come**_ ,'' Corypheus greeted the Inquisitor with a mocking bow.

''It ends here, Corypheus!'' Inquisitor Lavellan yelled at the Magister Darkspawn using her enchanted magical sword to land a final blow on the last terrors.

'' _ **And so it shall**_ ,'' Corypheus said in a bitter tone, before spreading his arms and lifted the Elven Orb above Himself.

Using the Orb's power, Corypheus lifted the ruins they were standing in and the ground they were all standing up and towards the Breech in the sky. An act to separate the Inquisitor from her forces and leave her alone to face Corypheus with only few of her closest allies in her inner circle.

'' _ **You have been most successful in foiling my plans, but let us not forget what you are; a thief in the wrong place in the wrong time**_ ,'' Corypheus spoke to the Inquisitor in the new situation. '' ** _An interloper, a gnat. We shall prove here, once and for all, which of us is worthy of Godhood_**.''

''I'm didn't come here to become a God, Corypheus!'' the Inquisitor shot back showing that Corypheus did not frighten her and that she was not after the same thing as the ancient darkspawn.

Corypheus responded to this with silence only broken by the hissing and growling of His Red Lyrium Dragon, which He eventually ordered to attack the Inquisitor and her remaining forces. But then-

'' _SCREEEEEEEEEEEECCHHHH_!'' Guardian of Mythal attacked the Red Lyrium Dragon and stopped it from attacking the Inquisitor.

'' _ **A Dragon!? How clever of you**_ ,'' Corypheus said levitating from the ground and deeper into the temple ruins. '' _ **It will avail you nothing! You will fall as a warning to all those who oppose my divine will**_!''

''Talks and runs away from fight like any other Vint,'' The Iron Bull spit out with his ax ready.

''I am going to ignore that,'' Dorian replied twirling his mustache.

''Whatever happens, I will go down like a Warden,'' Blackwall, AKA Thom Reinier, said taking his stance. ''Killing Darkspawn!''

''If we make out of this alive,'' Varric said locking an loading his Bianca-crossbow, ''my next book, covering all this, will be called _This Shit Is Weird_.''

''Grrrh, come on! Let's go hit 'im with arrows!'' Sera demanded reading her bow, before sniggering, ''This Shit is Weird, heheh, so funny.''

''Remember the Orb, Inquisitor,'' Solas said touching Lavellan arm. ''Recovering it is important to our People.''

Inquisitor Lavellan nodded before pointing her staff towards the Temple and they all charged inside ruins.

'' _ **Let it end here! Let the Skies boil**_!'' Corypheus' voice echoed through the air as they ran through the hallways to an opened are. '' ** _LET THE WORLD BE RENT ASUNDER_**!''

* * *

In the darkness there was nothing. No directions where to proceed to, only what seemed to air to breath. And breathing was painful, felt in the muscles that felt like they had large holes ripped into them.

Pain was good. It helped focusing on being alive.

''I am not going to die yet.''

 _TZAAAHP_!

Finally some into the darkness. Red light coming from the palm of my left hand. At least it helped seeing-

''WHAT is on my hand?!''

''My, well that is interesting,'' a voice said and another hand reached to the red glowing hand. ''How did you end up into the Crossroads?''

* * *

'' ** _Not like this! I have walked the halls of the Golden City, crossed the Ages..._** '' Corypheus yelled in outrage seeing his Red Lyrium Dragon slain with it's power returning to Him with His mortality and the Inquisitor advancing toward's Him.

In His desperation, the Magister Darkspawn grasped to the Elven Orb and begun to yell at it. '' ** _Dumat! Ancient Ones! I beseech you! If you exist- If you ever truly existed- AID ME NOW_**!''

Only thing that did happen was the Inquisitor use the Anchor in her left hand to pull the Orb away from Corypheus' hands and to the Inquisitor. Channeling the magic of the Orb through her Anchor, Inquisitor Lavellan sent a powerful surge of magic up to the Breach, closing it once again and lowering the Temple of Sacred Ashes back to the ground.

''You wanted into the Fade?'' Inquisitor said dropping the Orb to the ground and approached Corypheys while pointing at the Darkspawn Magister with the Anchor.

And using the Anchor, Inquisitor Lavellan opened a rift inside Corypheus and it sucked the ancient Darkspawn into the Fade from inside out. As the dust settled, she saw Solas on his knees.

''Solas?''

''The Orb...'' was all that Solas could say and hearing that, Inquisitor Lavellan saw that the Orb had broken into pieces.

''I'm sorry, I know how much recovering it meant to you,'' Inquisitor Lavellan said realizing she had unintentionally broken it when closing the Breach. ''Could it still be fixed, if take the parts-''

''It wouldn't have recovered what was lost,'' Solas spoke in hollow voice, before rising back on his feet and looked at Lavellan with sad and sorry eyes. ''Know this, what ever happens, what we had was real.''

''Inquisitor?! Are you alive?!'' Cassandra Pentaghast's voice called from below, outside the Temple.

Inquisitor Lavellan had to report back and let her forces know that their leader was still alive and turned to leave the Temple ruins. Walking down the stairs, she found her forces and allies waiting for her.

''Then it's over? How lovely,'' Grand Enchanter Vivienne asked in her usual passive tone.

''And the sky is healed, healthy... whole,'' Cole said in his confusing spiritual looking up in the sky. ''There is just that left to remember.''

Inquisitor Lavellan looked behind herself and up, seeing what Cole was talking about. There was a faint green scar-like line spread across the sky.

''Looks that way,'' Inquisitor Lavellan said turning back, catching a glimpse of Solas at the top of the stairs.

''What do we do now?'' Cassandra asked as Lavellan turned around again to look at Solas, but he wasn't there anymore.

Feeling conflicted about the situation, Lavellan looked back on her forces and said what she felt to be the right thing to do.

''We go back to Skyhold.''

* * *

 _Arbor Wilds_

Even with this it still felt like being lost. Only thing guiding was the old woman who had found him in the darkness. But then when walking though what felt like light and water, it started to become clearer. Light that felt like it was blinding, but it was warmer than the darkness.

''You need to rest,'' the old woman said helping him lay down. ''I'll tend to your wounds in a moment.''

Laid to rest, he felt the pain being put to a stand still. He still felt his wounds present but they were not hurting anymore. Feeling of uncertainty rose as without feeling the pain and giving into it would have lead to his in usual circumstances. So he kept breathing as deeply as he could to keep his pulse as high as possible.

''I knew you would come,'' the old woman's voice spoke, not to him but to someone else who had arrived. ''You should have not given your Orb to Corypheus, Dread Wolf.''

''I was too weak to unlock it after my slumber,'' a male voice full of guilt and desperation responded. ''The failure was mine. I should pay the price, but the People, they need me. I'm sorry.''

''I am sorry as well, old friend,'' the old woman said before gasping for air.

That alone caused him to open his eyes and see what had transpired. The one called the Dread Wolf was holding the old woman(who was not as weakly built as he had imagined) in his arms while the Dread Wolf's eyes were glowing and he was emitting smoke.

''What did you do to her!?'' he growled trying to get up, but was still weak from his wounds.

The Dread Wolf walked closer to him with his hands behind his back and looking down on him.

''Who are you?'' the Dread Wolf asked looking down on him when

 _TZAAHP_!

the left had begun to glow red again. The Dread Wolf reached to look at the hand and seeing it made him angry.

''Where did you get this!?'' the Dread Wolf asked in a bitter voice while twisting his arm. ''ANSWER ME!''

There was nothing to say. He had no answers to the Dread Wolf and was too weak to fight back. The mark on his hand was mystery to both.

''Fine, sleep,'' the Dread Wolf said rising back up on his feet and waved his hand, making it feel drowsy. ''Your dreams will tell me what I need to know.''

* * *

 _Skyhold_

The Inquisitor's return to Skyhold was met with large applause. Forces under Commandeer Cullen, allies gathered by Ambassador Montilyet as well as the priests of the Chantry were all gathered to the lower courtyard by the gates and they were all clapping their hands as Inquisitor Lavellan and her inner circle walked past them and up to the upper countryard and met with her general, diplomat and spymaster, who all bowed to the Inquisitor for what she had accompliced.

''A moment, my lady?'' spymaster Leliana asked by the second the cheers had calmed down enough and lead her up the stairs.

''My agents have found no traces of Solas,'' were the first words out of Leliana's mouth. ''He has simply vanished. If he does not wish to be found, there's likely nothing we can do. But I will keep looking.''

''Why would he leave?'' Lavellan asked out loud in disbelief. ''Something must be wrong.''

''You said he was upset about the Orb,'' Leliana said referencing to a report Lavellan had given to her agents.

''That can't be the only reason,'' Lavellan said shaking her head as Leliana gestured them to move inside.

''Now that Corypheus has been defeated, we have a moment to stop and celebrate,'' Leliana said changing the subject as they walked into the Great Hall. ''Afterwards you will be busy. Every noble in Southern Thedas is glamouring to meet you.''

''The fighting's over,'' Lavellan said with her thoughts still elsewhere. ''Why do they want to meet me now?''

''Your joking, yes?'' Leliana basically chuckled in response. ''They wish to bask in the glory of your victory, hoping that some of it will rub off on them. Everyone knows Empress Celene owes you her life. And her throne. A thousand problems remain, and your opinion will be sought on each one- whether you give it or not.''

''Oh, now they're lining up to meet me,'' Lavellan said seeing the irony of the situation's past and future.

''Such is the way of things,'' Leliana said as amused. ''Previously you were an upstart, a Dalish Elf in charge of rebels and heretics. Until Corypheus revealed himself, they could not see the single hand behind the chaos. Once they did, they knew: a Magister and a Darkspawn in one creature, The Ultimate Evil.''

Lavellan nodded to that in agreement.

''Now you are the only power left standing,'' Leliana said ready to end their conversation and enter the celebrations. ''Enjoy the evening while you can, Inquisitor.''

And enjoy she did. Lavellan spent the rest of the night joining in the company of the Iron Bull and his mercenary group who were celebrating their defeating of toughest Vint so far, while Dorian told that a servant girl had hugged him for being part of fighting against Corypheus and how a blacksmith, that had spit on him for being from Tevinter on their first meeting, had given him respect. Varric was still torn on believing anything that had happened and being happy it was all over now, still sticking up on writing his book about everything. He also said that he expected to hear from Hawke soon, most likely that she would be walking out of the Grey Wardens' fortress as it explodes.

Sera was just happy for everything going back to normal again and Josephine stressing out in with the celebrations and how they had been planned in the retrospect, with Leliana telling her to relax. Cole was enjoying the calm that had landed as did Cassandra. Blackwall, or Thom Reinier as his name had been revealed to be, was pleased with what they had managed to accomplice and was ready to be surrendered to the Grey Wardens as a recruit with no fear for the Joining.

Before retiring to her quarters, Lavellan exchanged a few words with the Vivienne who was discussing about the future of the Circle of Magi with enchanter Fiona. As a mage Lavellan listened them for a bit before tired of all the fighting retired to her chambers.

With all the good she had done as the Inquisitor, Lavellan still felt empty inside.

* * *

''Interesting,'' Solas said opening his eyes and stood up.

He had not learned much from this man's memories about how he could bear this red Anchor, similar yet different from the one on Inquisitor Lavellan's left hand. Only thing that had been managed to be uncovered was the man's name, which had raised more questions about the man origin.

This was something the Solas could not work out alone, which was why it was providence that an old friend had answered his call and arriving through the Eluvian.

''Avallac'h, it has been a long time,'' Solas said greeting another elf walking through the Eluvian with young girl with ashen white hair and carrying a long sword.

''Fen'harel,'' Avallac'h said as removed his mask greeting Solas, ''it is unlike of you to dress like a peasant.''

''Semantics of the moment at hand,'' Solas replied. ''Who is with you?''

''This is Zireael, child of the Elder Blood,'' Avallac'h said introducing his companion. ''You know how important that makes her.''

''Yes,'' Solas replied with a nod. ''Had I known you were on the run from the Wild Hunt-''

''I'll just not use my powers and the Wild Hunt won't be able to sense us,'' Zireael said in the tone that made it clear she didn't like being spoken of like she wasn't present. ''Who is that?''

''He is the reason I called you out,'' Solas said turning back to the man with the red Anchor. ''I need to discuss this with Avellac'h and have his wounds treated. There is a clan of Dalish Elves that will help if you take him.''

''Me?'' Zireael asked confused.

''Yes, you,'' Solas repeated. ''Tell them who you are and who sent you. They will do as you ask.''

Zireael walked to the wounded man and looked down on him.

''Does he have a name I can call him when he wakes up?''

''While he has slept, I have used the connection to the Fade to learn more about him,'' Solas said summoning a Halla to carry the man. ''As for his name, it is Bruce Wayne.''

* * *

 **Author's notes:** EDIT: Yes, this guy with the red anchor is named Bruce Wayne. He is the same version of Bruce Wayne who I have written on in my previous stories _Traveler Among Wizards_ , _Outsiders Beyond Good and Evil_ and in Arcane War between Gods and Men, which had it's final scene taking place in the next chapter. AWbGaM story is the why and how Bruce Wayne is in Thedas. And he is just a man here, the words 'Batman' or 'superhero' mean nothing in the world of Thedas. Make no mistake, This is a Dragon Age story set in Thedas before the _Trespasser_ DLC and a Witcher story telling Ciri's adventures with Avallac'h before the events of _Witcher 3: Wild Hunt_ , NOT A BATMAN STORY!

In the next chapter Ciri will take Bruce Wayne to a Dalish camp and that scene I mentioned from the end of _Arcane War between Gods and Men_ will play out from the elves' point of view.

I will also keep up a **Replies to Reviews** section here in case you have any questions about where this is going. To those who did reviews to the behind the scenes chapter, I have already PMed to.


	2. Chapter 2: Mercy for the Elves

**Author's notes** : I see people are reading this. Now in this chapter I have brought up a number of references to the Elven pantheon in Dragon Age and the Elven mythology I have learned when playing Witcher 3. If I have gotten some facts wrong, I wish some of the readers who know better to inform me in a review so they can be corrected in following chapters.

* * *

 **Mercy for the Elves**

Having celebrated the fall of Corypheus with the Inquisition at Skyhold, some of the reruited agents had been allowed a short leave from service. Loranil, who had been recruited from a Dalish clan at the Exalted Plains, had taken the leave to return to his clan, that had moved to Emerald Graves to mourn one of their fallen Firsts. A ritual to be honored with Dalish respect, something that Inquisitor Lavellan seemed to have dropped during her work, especially when she had gotten rid of her Vallaslin. That was probably something better not to tell Keeper Hawen.

However, when Loranil was approahing the area where his clan was supposed to be, none of the hunters who should have been guarding the surrounding area around the camp were there to greet him. Instead all his fellow elves had gathered around Keeper Hawen who seemed to be in the middle of... healing a shem?

''Emalien,'' Loranil said approaching one his friends while trying to understand what he was seeing, ''what is happening? Who are these shems?''

''That is Zireael,'' Emalien said pointing at the ashen white haired female on the opposite side from the Keeper. ''She arrived earlier with the shem, requesting for his wounds to healed in exchange for knowledge.''

Zireael, Loranil thought. That was a name from the oldest Elven languages even the Keeper didn't know much. Most of what was taught to young elves about the Elder Blood language was that it was used before Fen'harel had tricked the Elven Gods and the elves lost their kingdom. If this Zireael truly was of the Elder Blood, she would have to have been a decedent of those ancient elves and apparently somewhere down the line humans had come into the mix.

''It is done,'' Keeper Hawen said as he finished. ''We have healed this shem's wounds as requested by the Dread Wolf.''

''I appreciate your help,'' Zireael said looking at the unknown man's healed body. ''The Dread Wolf said he would be returning to the People soon.''

''The Trickster God's arrival will be prepared for, but the People won't have to greet Him with any respect,'' Keeper Hawen grunted with disrespect to the Dread Wolf and looked among his clan where he saw Loranil. ''Our clan has members in the Inquisition and they will be informed of what you have told.''

Loranil nodded towards the Keeper as acknowledgement, hoping he had done so with enough discreet that Zireael didn't notice it.

''He would politely ask your clan to hear Him out before letting the whole world know of his return,'' Zireael said, asking and telling at the same time before turning to the man laying before her. ''And I have already noticed that you're awake, so you can stop pretending to be asleep.''

And for the man's first action he punched both Zireael and Keeper Hawen with his both hands and stood up to be faced by all the clan's hunters aiming their bows and arrows at him.

''Stop,'' Zireael told the man by jumping back up and behind him, also putting her sword against his chest to restrain him. ''Keeper Hawen did not heal your wounds to have his hunters fill you with arrows.''

As Zireael held up the human between her and her sword, Loranil and the other elves where he was standing could see the human better. He was a large man with graying hairlines and wearing only grey under-armor and boots. That of what his body was exposed has covered with scar tissue despite the Keeper having healed his wounds, meaning the scars were from old wounds.

'' _Where Hell am I_!?'' the man ultimately said when he stopped fighting and in perfect Elven.

''He speaks Elven?'' Keeper Hawen asked pointing his staff at the man.

''You speak Elven?'' Zireael asked sheaving her sword and let go of him.

''You are the ones speaking English,'' the man spit out standing standing ready to attack again. ''Now where the Hell am I?''

''Thedas, country of Orlais, between Arbor Wilds and Emeral Graves,'' was said as the answer by another voice and the camp was approached by two elves wearing more fashionable robes compared to the Dalish Elves.

The other one was wearing fine velvet robes and a mask covering his face, walking with his staff. Following him the other elf was wearing a fur robe with wolf's head covering his head like a hood. This elf was walking with his hands behind his back.

''Avallac'h and Fen'harel,'' Zireael said as the two elves walked into the camp and the hunters turned their bows at them as did the Keeper with his staff.

''Keeper Hawen, Aneth ara'' Fen'harel spoke raising his head and as his eyes glowed all the hunters' weapons turned too heavy for them to carry so they had to drop them. ''Ma serranas for healing Ser Wayne's wounds. In return I can give you what the Dalish value over all, the truth.''

''Why should we believe anything you say, Trickster God?'' Keeper Hawen asked still pointing his staff at Fen'harel.

''I am not a God and neither were the ones you have worshiped,'' Fen'harel said removing his wolf hood and revealing his face. ''If at first you don't wish to listen to me, Avallac'h and Zireael can first tell you what you wish to hear before I tell you what you need to know.''

''Why am I here!?'' the shemlen that Fen'harel had called Ser Wayne asked walking forward in all his height.

''Avallac'h, fill the gaps in this clan's knowledge. Zireael, you can also enlighten yourself,'' Fen'harel said walking towards to face Ser Wayne. ''Ser Wayne, yes, I believe I owe you some answers.''

* * *

What this Avallac'h told to the clan was eye opening. According to him, the Deities that the Dalish had belived to have been Elven Gods, had according to him been powerful mages as him and Fen'harel. Mages who had in their own lust for power taken to enslave their own kin that had no magical abilities. It sounded impossible to believe, but when he mentioned Mythal opposing her fellow mages in their actions, the clan begun to see a truth in what Avallac'h was saying.

According to Avallac'h, the elven mages that the Dalish had believed to be gods had only been one of many kingdoms' rulers with Avallac'h being from another called Aen Elle and An Seidhe, with the name of the kingdom where this clan originated from being something Fen'harel would rather not tell them.

''I did not trick the false gods from their kingdom,'' Fen'harel eventually spoke returning from speaking with Ser Wayne. ''When they went too far by killing Mythal for opposing their rule, I banished them by lifting the Veil.''

''There was a time before the Veil?'' Keeper Hawen asked in disbelief.

''You have taught yourselves that the Veil has always been there, that the reason why the humans rule over you is why you are mortal unlike in the old tales,'' Fen'harel continued. ''In the world Zireael is from, there is no Veil, spirits and demons run havoc, but are kept in check by Witchers, monsterhunters who raised Zireael. But in this world, the Veil exists because of me.''

''The Dread Wolf speaks the truth,'' Keeper Hawen said, directing this to the clan.

''It was done as banishment, they did not fall down so easily, but the price for my actions is what you live through everyday,'' Fen'harel said with regret in his voice. ''It was an exhausting process that left me weak, leading me to a millenia of slumber. Contrast to your stories, I was really just sleeping and after I awoke I was willing to finish what I had started, but you all know what happened during the last year.''

''Corypheus,'' Loranil finally spoke.

''Correct, lethallin'' Fen'harel explained. ''I had left my Orb for Corypheus to find, so He could unlock it as I was too weak after my slumber. He was to die opening it, but I did not expect the ancient magister to have learned the secrets to immortality and someone else gaining the Anchor for entering the Fade. With the threat of Corypheus, I had to rethink my plans by joining the Inquisition. Now Corypheus is dead and my Orb is destroyed. Only way for me to save you from conciqunces of my actions now lie with Ser Wayne. Show them.''

Ser Wayne, now dressed in a light armor covered by a cloak, held his left arm forward and

 _TZAAAAHP!_

his hand begun to glow red, similar how Loranil had seen Inquisitor Lavellan's hand clow green with her Anchor.

''Ser Wayne's Anchor is still unknown in origin but it can help restoring the elves back to their former glory,'' Fen'harel said as Ser Wayne's hand glowed red. ''After all of what you have lived through for the last millenia, the elves will be returned what has rightfully theirs.''

* * *

 _Skyhold_

Solas had once before come to Inquisitor Lavellan in her dreams. Mostly so unexpected and in so real fashion that she had not even realized they were dreams. But now she did see the difference. With the Breach closed the real world had a blue sky again with a faint scar, where as the dream world had the green sky and the scar showing up in different places. It was still possible to dream of places where sky wasn't as green as the Fade made it to be.

And in this dream, _Inquisitor Lavellan was walking in streets on a city she had never been in._

 _Bang! a shot was heard in a distance followed by a scream and then by another BANG! as Lavellan ran closer towards the sounds, eventually to find a man and a woman laying on the ground bleeding and their child screaming in horror between them. The mother was already dead, with the father reaching towards her in his last breath._

 _''Martha...'' and then they were both dead, with their child left alone kneeling in his parents blood._

 _To Inquisitor Lavellan this sight was horrifying and sad, fate she had not wished on anyone even when she had been in her clan and living reclusive from humans. Thinking to be better than what other Dalish Elves had been towards other humans in these situations, Lavellan approached the child and tried to see if there was anything she could do for him._

 _But then as it suddenly begun snowing and it became cold, the child beginning to rise on his feet and rising he turned darker, taller and dangerous like a demon that mages fought from possessing them. The demon just stood there, looking down on Lavellan as he was taller than her, before speaking._

'' **Tell me, do you bleed**?'' _the demon asked as a ship rose from behind the demon, carrying armored soldiers._ '' **You will**!''

With that, she woke up.

* * *

 **Author's notes:** Yes, I have plans for Wild Hunt's appearance in this story too. Think of that as foreshadowing.


	3. Chapter 3: Grey Wardens and Glass Men

**Author's notes:** So, not that many reviewer but the story has attracted followers and some of you have made this story a favorite, meaning I am doing something right.

In this chapter I also bring up some elements from this world state's playthrough, like Blackwall's fate, the Hero of Ferelden and some of you might deduce what Witcher character shows up in the end from the chapter title.

* * *

 **Grey Wardens and Glass Men**

 _Skyhold, Herald's Rest_

''My name is Thom Rainier, I was recruited by Grey Warden Constable Gordon Blackwall and I was to begin my Joining at the Storm Coast, get the Darkspawn blood from a Deep Roads entrance there and- um...''

''Good start, but you're trying to be too serious saying that,'' Sera said as her criticism. ''So you're going to drop the Blackwall name?''

''It's time to lay that name to rest,'' Thom said still sounding serious. ''I have done enough good with that name to repay him. Besides, I don't think the Wardens would appreciate me using it.''

''It might make it difficult going through Orlais seeing how you are kind of infamous there,'' Varric said bringing up the reason Thom had masqueraded as someone else. ''Even if you are now- or will be officially a Warden, the name Thom Rainier is still remembered after that little stunt you pulled of in Val Royeaux. Although considering how Leliana had to clean it, low profile might keep you safe.''

''And being a Warden does kind of give you an immunity from your past crimes, right?'' the Iron Bull said ordering a new round of drinks. ''It was nice of Boss to pull you out the trouble and then throw you to the Wardens. It's what you wanted, right?''

''What I wanted is irrelevant, I joined the Inquisition mostly to have a rightful cause to follow,'' Thom answered taking his drink. ''And as a Warden I get to kill Darkspawn, you know, for a good cause.''

''Truly, keeping Blights from happening is for a good cause,'' Dorian said gesturing a toast. ''Just remember not to fall for any Blood Magic rituals just because a handsome Tevinter tells you it's a good idea.''

''I think we can all be wiser from the experience we all got this year to,'' Inquisitor Lavellan said joining everyone in their table.

''Didn't think you'd make it,'' Thom said nodding his head at the Inquisitor. ''Keeping busy?''

''I met with Leliana,'' Lavellan spoke. ''She said the senior Wardens will be here to take Wardens we have in out ranks and willing recruits in a day's time. Earliest my morn.''

''Meaning I still have some time to practice my initiation speech,'' Thom said looking at his cup.

''Just so you know,'' The Iron Bull said leaning towards Thom, ''if you decide not to go with the Wardens, I can always take you in with the Chargers. Ask Krem, I'm a wonderful boss.''

''Sorry, Bull, but the Wardens have already been informed about Thom's situation,'' Lavellan said getting her drink. ''Besides, I don't think Leliana would let neither of you two leave doing that.''

''Or Cassandra,'' Varric muttered shuffling cards. ''So, who's up for a Game of Wicked Grace?''

* * *

 _Exhalted Plains_

The clan had been sent to a location Fen'harel had given them and Loranil as a member of the Inquisition had been ordered to join Fen'harel, Avallac'h, Zireael and Ser Wayne on the road to Suledin's Keep in Saharnia, where he would return to the Inquisiton and the others towards the Halam'shiral to make contact with Ambassador Briala.

''What were you told?'' Zireael asked riding her Halla closer to Ser Wayne. ''What are you supposed to do with us?''

''Why do you want to know?'' Ser Wayne said not answering or even looking at her.

''It's long way and we have time to talk about- Is Bruce Wayne really your name?'' Zireael asked walking next to Ser Wayne.

He glanced at her, looking for a few seconds before nodding, with ''Yes.''

This made her catch up with her Halla to get closer to him and extend her arm for a handshake.

''Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, Ciri to friends,'' she said keeping her arm pointed at Ser Wayne with a gaze that made it clear she wouldn't move out until her handshake was answered. ''Nice to meet you, Bruce.''

''Ciri?'' Ser Wayne eventually said taking to shake her hand. ''What happened to Zireael?''

''It's Elven, for Swallow,'' Ciri answered as they remained riding their Hallas. ''Avallac'h calls me that because of my Elven heritage, but I like being called Ciri better.''

''It is faster and easier to pronounse,'' Ser Wayne said pulling a glove of his left hand. ''It's as Fen'Harel said, help him use this to save the elves.''

''Do you trust him?'' Ciri asked looking forward them to Avallac'h and Fen'Harel.

''I don't know, jury is still out,'' Ser Wayne said examining the red glowing mark on his hand.

''What does that mean?'' Ciri asked. ''Jury is still out?''

''It's a legal term,'' Ser Wayne replied. ''Anyway, I don't know what this thing in my hand is, but Fen'Harel seems to know of it. Right now, I can only follow him to learn more about this mark.''

''That's something we seem to have in common,'' Ciri said smiling as they kept on walking.

* * *

 _Skyhold, lower_ _courtyard_

''Look! Here they come!''

Thom Rainier took a deep breath. This was that moment now. He had been promised for the Grey Wardens for conscription now that the Inquisition had defeated Corypheus and so he stood up to confront them. Walking out of his chosen quarters in the stables, Thom had faster access to the front gate of the castle where he could see the senior Wardens arriving.

Two senior Wardens, a female human mage in a Warden Commander's armor and a male dwarf with large braided mustaches. And with them there was Hawke, already making a secret handshake with Varric.

''So, about that Red Jenny position offer..?''

''That's creepy,'' Sera said poking her head from around the corner. ''I was supposed sneak up on you.''

''It's from being on the run for years, living under another name,'' Thom said as Inquisitor Lavellan walked down to greet the Wardens with Cullen, Josephine and Leliana. ''No, I shouldn't run away from this. It's time for me to become a real Grey Warden.''

''Just be better than the ones at Adamant!'' Sera said putting he hands on Thom's shoulders and begun to push him forwards. ''That's all I'm asking you to be. And remember Dorian's advice 'No to Blood Magic'.''

''No to Blood Magic,'' Thom said while being pushed. ''Don't push me too much, the Inquisitor will introduce me to them if she does.''

''Don't be stupid, full on forward!''

''Sera, maybe not that-''

''FULL ON FORWARD!''

''Sera-''

''Oy, Wardens!'' Sera yelled to get attention to her pushing Thom towards the Wardens. ''One recruit coming right here! Come on, we can laugh at this one day.''

Sight of tiny, thin elf pushing a bigger beared man was as awkward as it could be imagined. The Wardens looked amused, while the Inquisitor's councilors looked like they were seconds away from face palming, while Hawke and Varric grinned, nodding approvingly to Sera.

''I can already see how to write this into a book.''

''Right,'' Inquisitor Lavellan said attempting to compose the situation, ''Warden Commander Amell and Warden Oghren, this is Thom Rainier. He has worked for Orleasian Empire and for the last year he worked for the Inquisition while speaking highly of the Grey Wardens. He was also there when we fought Corypheus.''

The female Warden looked at Thom as if she was trying to assess him as a soldier and the dwarf took heavy stomping steps towards Thom, walking to stand face to face with him. The dwarf scratched his large mustache while looking up at Thom, before grabbing onto his beard, apparently to make sure it was real and then turned around to give his commander thumbs up.

''It's on you, Oghren,'' Warden Commander Amell said nodding. ''And welcome, recruit.''

''So, I will become a Warden?'' Thom said reaching to pull something from under his armored shirt. ''I have been carrying this ever since Blackwall... the real Blackwall conscripted me and had me collect this.''

It was a vial of Darkspawn blood Thom was carrying as a necklace around his neck.

''A Warden's Promise,'' Warden Oghren said recognizing the necklace. ''He is Joining away from being a Grey Warden.''

''Inquisitor, do you have any other recruits?'' Warden Commander Amell asked moving the conversation forward from being interrupted.

''Besides Thom Rainier, some willing ones have voiced interest,'' Cullen said keeping himself in the conversation. ''I can have them called from the barracks-''

''I'm sure Oghren can evaluate the other recruits,'' Leliana said quickly cutting over Cullen's sentence. ''I am informed already on who the recruits are and have reports of their accomplishments while working for the Inquisition.''

''Good, if Oghren can go evaluate the recruits, then I can go over those reports,'' Warden Commander Amell said taking a long glance at Leliana, before turning to Warden Oghren. ''You can handle that?''

''Sure, meet you at lunch,'' Warden Oghren said grinning from under his mustache before marching past Cullen. ''Show me to the barracks, Commander Haircut.''

Warden Commander Amell left with Leliana to her archives and Commander Cullen was dragged to the barracks to evaluate the willing recruits, leaving Thom settle down on how his situation was handled and then moved on from.

''Are you sure I'm going laugh at this someday?'' Thom asked Sera as the Inquisitor, Varric and Hawke walked to them.

''Sure,'' Varric said reassuringly. ''Hawke and I still laugh at Chateau Haine, the Wyvern and how the Count-''

''Fell from Grace,'' Hawke said quoting herself, making Sera look unsure. ''You'd have to be there.''

''Right, who wants to go to Herald's Rest?'' Thom said swiping sweat off his forehead. ''The Iron Bull will buy us all the rounds when he hears about this.''

''Don't forget our last Game of Wicked Grace,'' Varric said clapping Thom's back, as high as he could as a dwarf. ''At least until we see have again in an Inquisition reunion. We are going to have one of those, right?''

''Let's ask Josephine to join us for the game and ask if she can arrange that in the future.''

* * *

 _Inn close to Halam'shiral_

Ser Wayne didn't talk much for the rest of the way, even when they got to a rest stop. The Halla were were left to find a clan with Fen'Harel and Avallac'h telling their message to that clan as well, while Ciri and Ser Wayne were to keep on the road towards Halam'shiral and make contact with Ambassador Briala.

''Do you know anything about this Ambassador we're supposed to meet?'' Ciri asked sitting down to a table at the Inn.

''Nothing, I'm not from around here,'' Ser Wayne replied looking around. ''This looks private enough.''

''What!?'' Ciri asked, but then saw she had misunderstood what Ser Wayne had meant as he sat down next to her and laid his belt with pouches on the table. ''Oh, you meant-''

''Fen'Harel used his magic to create me these clothes, but I haven't had a chance to review my equipment,'' Ser Wayne said opening one pouch and checked it's insides. ''Keep a look out and warn me if someone comes at us.''

''Sure,'' Ciri sighed looking back and forth between the surroundings and Ser Wayne examining his equipment. ''You have seen the sword I carry on my back?''

''Hard to miss it,'' Ser Wayne replied counting throwable blades. ''Sufficient enough.''

''And you have seen me using it?'' Ciri continued, getting a glare from Ser Wayne.

''Intimately, as I recall,'' Ser Wayne said pulling out a contraption, Ciri did not recognize except for it having a hook, from another pouch. ''Just like the one I built with Alfred.''

''I have a sword and I was raised by Witchers,'' Ciri said as Ser Wayne kept examining the contents of his belt, now on some pellets. ''I find it incredible how you claim to be able to fight with your bare hands without even carrying an actual weapon.''

''Years of practice, Cirilla,'' Ser Wayne said glancing into the rest of the pouches before putting the belt back on himself and begun to examine his gloves. ''Where did Fen'Harel find the designs for all my equipment?''

''He said he used Oneiromancy,'' Ciri said, surprised the Ser Wayne didn't seem to know that. ''You know, Dream magic. He studied your memories when you slept.''

Ser Wayne didn't look happy hearing what Ciri had told and turned his attention to his left hand.

''Buy something, if you want to. We're moving on now,'' he then said getting off the table. ''I'll wait for you outside.''

Ciri followed the suit and moved to the Innkeeper's desk while Ser Wayne moved outside to contemplate the situation and all the information.

''Pretty girl you're traveling with, but I assume you haven't given any thought to that, seeing how she is half your age.''

Ser Wayne turned around to the direction of the voice to see a man with shaven head, dressed like a merchant and wearing a smile that meant he knew something the others didn't.

''Excuse me?'' Ser Wayne asked approaching the man.

''I noticed your lack of needed equipment inside, so would you be interested in some of my wares?'' the merchant said smiling confidently. ''I have everything a man in your situation would need. Weapon repair kits, disguises-'' The merchant put weight on the following words ''-spare Batarangs?''

This put Ser Wayne even more on edge when confronting the merchant.

''Who the hell are you!?''

''I am a mangy vargrant,'' the merchant said keeping his face smiling. ''Gaunter O'Dimm, at your service, mister Wayne. Or would prefer if I addressed you by the name you gave yourself?''

* * *

 _Skyhold_

Messenger bird flew above the mountains towards the castle, the route it had been trained to fly and it had flown multiple times with the importance of serving Sister Nightingale and the communication between her spies. Getting to the castle, the messenger bird flew over the walls and over the courtyard. Towards the eastern tower and in through the window, the messenger bird expected to be welcomed either by Sister Nightingale or one of her agents to take the message, but instead was confronted by empty quarters, almost.

''A lot of elves,'' Warden Commander Amell said reading a list of names while laying next to Leliana on her bedrolls. ''The Inquisitor must have set out a good example.''

''She saved a lot of lives, including Grey Wardens who loyally joined the Inquisition to set a better example,'' Leliana replied looking at the woman she loved and had not seen for over a year. ''You have recruited a lot of different races before.''

''Oghren, Sigrun and Velanna all volunteered to do the right thing,'' Warden Commander Amell said smiling as she remembered the times gone by. ''Or, Sigrun took some convincing to see that she could both be a Warden and be in the Legion of the Dead. Velanna wanted to be stronger to fight the Darkspawn and we both know how Oghren is.''

''He didn't look like he had changed that much,'' Leliana said looking up trying to remember Ohgren then and now. ''He didn't strike to me as the drunken creep we met in Orzammar.''

''That's the Warden in him that keeps him from drinking himself that far anymore,'' Warden Commander Amell said, before being silent for a few seconds. ''That's one of the perks of being a Warden that... Alistair told me during the Blight.''

Both women took a moment of silence to remember the fallen soldier and friend they had known and fought with for the last decade. The moment was broken by the messenger bird flying next to Leliana with it's report.

''This could be important,'' Leliana said taking the report of the bird and opened it to show drawing of a man with graying hair. ''Sister Nightingale, forgive me for not using the coded phrases we are supposed to, but my message is urgent. When I returned to my clan I was confronted by...''

Leliana read the rest in her head before getting up and begun to pick up her clothes in a hurry.

''What is wrong?'' Warden Commander Amell asked sitting up and reached for her clothes as well.

''This Inquisition report need to be brought to the War Table,'' Leliana said pulling on her boots. ''It might take a while, so you should get dressed too.''

''I'll tell Oghren that will have the recruits' Joining ritual,'' Warden Commander Amell said putting on her under-armor. ''It would take some time for the preparations, so we wouldn't have to leave yet.''

''I would like that,'' Leliana said fixing her hair with her outfit and moved to kiss Warden Commander Amell before leaving. ''And I will see you here later.''

* * *

''Who the hell are you?'' Ciri heard Ser Wayne say walking out of the Inn.

''I am a mangy vagrant,'' said the man standing opposite to Ser Wayne outside the Inn. ''Gaunter O'Dimm, at your service, mister Wayne. Or would you prefer if I called you by the name you gave yourself? Name, that doesn't really mean anything here.''

''What name?'' Ciri asked entering the situation.

''Name he created to instill fear, Cirilla,'' man who had just called himself Gaunter O'Dimm said turning towards her. ''It doesn't really mean anything here, so I won't say it.''

''What do you want?'' Ser Wayne asked ready to grab O'Dimm if he didn't cooperate.

''Ahh, the right question,'' O'Dimm said turning back to Ser Wayne. ''But it isn't what I want, it is what I can offer. And what I can offer, can be exactly what you want.''

''There is always a catch or a price,'' Ser Wayne said glaring at O'Dimm with Ciri also crossing her arms.

''Indeed, but that doesn't have to be now,'' O'Dimm said with his chin up. ''You are on your way to Halam'shiral, correct? Even with your Elven connections, I could make it easier getting in and out with some insurance.''

* * *

 **Author's notes:** Next we're going to Halam'shiral where the two groups make contact. Well, not all of them, just a small strike force of Inquisition agents and maybe Bulls' Chargers. After that everyone will be in the same place.


	4. Chapter 4: Master Mirror

**Author's notes:** I see the story needs to be stretched out a little. I wanted to have Ciri and Ser Wayne to make contact with the Inquisition in this chapter, but then I got too distracted in the Inquisitor and her forces assessing the Intel they have received on Ser Wayne and Ciri, not to mention Gaunter O'Dimm AKA Master Mirror giving his vague explanation on what his interest is in helping Ciri and Ser Wayne working for Fen'Harel.

* * *

 **Master Mirror**

 _Skyhold, War Room_

As soon as Leliana's report had been shown at the War Table, the Inquisitor recognized the man on the report's drawing from her dream, especially when both of them had the man with the red version of the Anchor. Previously when something similar had happened was when the Inquisition had been searching the Grey Wardens and had met the Venatori Magister Livius Erimond, who had gained his red Anchor from Corypheus. And both of them were now dead, meaning that there were little clues to follow.

''My agent who made contact with the target had calls him Ser Bruce Wayne,'' Leliana said standing behind the War Table next to Cullen and Josephine while putting markings on the map of Orlais. ''The agent made contact with Ser Wayne near Emerald Graves, but only managed to send a report after shadowing him and his companion to Saharnia, reporting that they were on their way to Halam'Shiral.''

''The name is difficult to be placed with a nationality,'' Josephine said reviewing list of the Inquisition's contacts. ''If your agent could have somehow gotten us sample, in written or otherwise, of his speech we could place where he is from.''

''There is a way we could get that,'' Lady Morrigan, whom Leliana's agents had managed to track down and return to Skyhold after she had left. ''Considering how the Inquisitor made contact in a dream to this, Ser Wayne, there could be way to do that again by entering the Fade and using the conection between the two Anchors. If they are both similar in how they work.''

''The report also mentioned a woman with Elven heritage travelling with Ser Wayne,'' Leliana said putting the said report on the War Table. ''Ashen grey hair, a scar over her left eye, called Zireael.''

''It's Elven for Swallow,'' Inquistor Lavellan said referring to her knowledge of Elven language and looked at the Anchor in her left hand. ''If this Ser Wayne has Elven connections that means his Anchor could be from an Elven artifact just as mine is from the Orb Corypheus had.''

''Then there is the 'Ser' in his name, meaning that this Bruce Wayne could be a former Templar,'' Cullen said looking at the report and illustration of Ser Wayne. ''That could explain his knowledge of magic and after the Order fell out, what could have lead him to find this Zireael and this other Anchor.''

''Possibly,'' Inquisitor Lavellan said looking at the map on the War Table. ''Since Ser Wayne and Zireael are on their way towards Halam'Shiral, should we contact the Empress Celene to have her people ready to take them into custody?''

''Perhaps, but there is still something the report didn't inform us,'' Lady Morrigan said reminding everyone of something obvious. ''None of us really know what these two are after, or if there are only two of them and no larger force with them.''

''I saw warships with armored soldiers in that dream,'' Inquisitor Lavellan said telling more. ''And not light armors, they were stylized heavy armors like they were actively ready to act as an invading force.''

Inquisitor Lavellan took a moment to allow anyone to say anything for that, knowing it sounded crazy even when backed by the Anchor's existence, but when no one objected, she continued by saying,

''I say we have a small force stand ready to be sent to Halam'Shiral with a message to the Empress. Before leaving we use try using the supposed connection between these two Anchors to learn anything useful and use that information to go forward from there.''

* * *

 _Walking distance from Halam'Shiral_

''Or actually, I can help you and going forward with my help, you will be doing me a favor.''

Both Ciri and Ser Wayne looked at the merchant's smiling face with caution. Gaunter O'Dimm had appeared from out of nowhere and just as out of the blue had offered to help them.

''Shieve it,'' O'Dimm said when Ciri had begun to reach for her sword. ''Why don't we walk and discuss about this like civilized people?''

''Why would you want help us?'' Ser Wayne asked as they begun to walk the road towards the clear in the distance Winter Palace.

''You and I have common associate, in Fen'Harel,'' O'Dimm said walking between them. ''He and I made a pact long ago when he was in low and pathetic state. State that he was willing to do anything to get out from, so I helped. With some terms, of course.''

''Of course,'' Ser Wayne muttered.

''The terms were that I would give him the means and three attempts to make it all right with what he had done,'' O'Dimm continued. ''His first try was before the Conclave at the Temple of Secret Ashes and it lead to Corypheus' attempt of reaching godhood last year.''

''Neither of us was here when that happened,'' Ciri said reminding the merchant, if he was one, of their ignorance of the previous year's events.

''None the less, his second attempt was with the reformed Inquisition opposing Corypheus, hoping he would regain his Orb lost to the magister,'' O'Dimm said keeping up with his story. ''His second attempt failed when the Orb was destroyed, leaving him with his final attempt of righting his wrongs. You Bruce Wayne and what he believes to be an Anchor in your hand.''

''Wait! What do you mean by he believes this to be an Anchor?'' Ser Wayne asked pulling off his glove and showed his red Anchor in his left hand.

''It means this will be his final attempt after which it his time to pay what he owes me,'' O'Dimm simply said as he slowly turned to look at Ser Wayne. ''Do your part and you won't be left to owe me anything.''

''What exactly does Fen'Harel owe you?'' Ciri asked dragging attention towrds herself. ''Or how much?''

''That is between Fen'Harel and myself, at least until it comes his time to pay me,'' O'Dimm said turning to answer to Ciri. ''But moving on into getting you two in the Winter Palace and meet Ambassador Briala.''

* * *

 _Skyhold, Mages' tower_

''We should have enough lyrium for someone else to be in the Fade with you during the dream,'' Grand Enchanter Fiona said showing Inquisitor Lavellan to the tower given to the mages' use when Skyhold was being renovated when the Inquisition moved in. ''You will go to sleep and enter the Fade, with other mages joining your dream there to see what you see.''

The tower wasn't anything grandstanding, but it was enough for the mages' equipment storage and a place to practice magic on three floors and on the roof, when Skyhold had itself a library and multiple different sleeping areas.

''It's like the Harrowing, except you won't be going through it alone,'' Dorian said looking at bedrolls laid on the floor. ''So are the rest of us going to be there to fight demons or as witnesses?''

''Witnesses are vital to support what the Inquisitor is sees in the dream,'' Lady Morrigan said in an intellectually sarcastic tone. ''No matter how sane and influential person she is with her credibility, more witnesses representing evidence makes her story more believable.''

''Right then,'' Inquisitor Lavellan said nodding to acknowledge Morrigan's appearant concern for her sanity. ''Who all will be joining me in the dream? Any volunteers?''

''Naturally,'' Dorian said choosing a place among the bedrolls. ''Only mages can enter the fade and be coucious there, so...''

''I will be joining as well,'' Lady Morrigan said taking her place as well. ''Whatever it is we will be seeing, should be most exciteful.''

Inquisitor, Dorian and Lady Morrigan digested their shares of lyrium and took their places on their bedrolls, slowly drifting away as they entered the Fade in a dream.

* * *

 _Halam'Shiral, countyard_

''As you two are new into these parts and didn't live through Corypheus' attempt to take over, you might not be able to relate to the spirit of the festivities,'' Gaunter O'Dimm said leading Ciri and Ser Wayne through the courtyards of the Winter Palace. ''But I would expect you to believe it is to boost the morale of the Empress' subjects.''

''How else would you celebrate being alive?'' Ser Wayne said, observing their surroundings. ''Now I see why Fen'Harel sent us here instead of coming here himself.''

Only elves that could be seen at the courtyards were all servants, meaning that Fen'Harel and Avallac'h would have stood out from the crowd. But Ciri and Ser Wayne were humans, or looked close enough, to pass as the Empress' guests at the party while O'Dimm had presented himself as an entertainer, Master Mirror.

''You will be able to meet Ambassador Briala only when the festivities are in place, so I would advice you to change,'' O'Dimm said stopping their walk and gave them two cloth bags. ''I know both of your sizes.''

''How?'' Ciri asked uncomfortably as Ser Wayne also glared at O'Dimm, whose unfazed smile turned to disappointment.

''Would you ask a bird how it knows how to fly or a mirror how it can reflect your image?'' O'Dimm asked gesturing Ciri and Ser Wayne to take the clothes. ''Oh, and here are your invitations and I have already made your cover-stories known to the announcer.''

''You arrived here with us, in which point did you do that?'' Ser Wayne said in disbelief as he and Ciri took their invitations.

''Bruce, you are smarter than that,'' O'Dimm said looking else where. ''Go change and then meet me by the gate. Chop chop!''

Sending Ciri and Ser Wayne away, Gaunter O'Dimm clapped his hands. His half closed eyes looked around his surroundings and seeing what he expected, he smiled.

''I know you're watching, out there,'' O'Dimm said walking towards the observers as green smoke rose around the surrounding. ''Yes, there you are. Thea, Dorian, Morrigan, there is no need to play Peeping Toms.''

The smile on O'Dimm's face grew malevolently as he felt the fear of the watchers observing them through the Fade.

''You can join the party as civilized people as I'm sure the Empress has extended her invitation to the Inquisition as well. After all, you are the reason why she is throwing this party in the first place.''

* * *

 _Skyhold, mages' tower_

''How was that man able to see us!?''

Those were the first words asked by Lady Morrigan once she, the Inquisitor and Dorian had woken up leaving the Fade. They had seen the alleged Ser Wayne who had the Red Anchor on his left hand as well as his Elven decent companion. But to their shock and surprise they had also seen a second man, who had seen them.

''Either he was an exceptionally powerful mage or something similar to what Cole is,'' Dorian said and then looked around to see if Cole was around. ''In the latter option, we saw him interacting with Ser Wayne and Zireael, and then walk from from the real world into the Fade to interact with us.''

''Whatever he was, he nothing but dared us to come to face them,'' Inquisitor Lavellan said moving outside where her advisers were waiting. ''Ser Wayne and Zireael are at the Winter Palace with something powerful and dangerous. How soon can we get there with enough force to capture them?''

''I have men ready to to move, but we can't take them into the Winter Palace without gathering attention,'' Commander Cullen said, ''and even if we infiltrated them in similar to how we save the Empress, it would take too much time.''

''Which is why I would suggest you take the you inner circle with you to intercept with Ser Wayne, and lure him to the Commander and soldiers waiting for him,'' Leliana said proposing a plan. ''Ser Wayne is still an unknown entity to us, yes? We would want to interrogate him on who he is and what he is planning to do with his Anchor.''

''Yes,'' Inquisitor Lavellan said agreeing with her spymaster. ''Now let's go get that man!''

* * *

 **Author's notes:** Okay, NOW the next chapter will have the Inquisition make contact with Ciri and Ser Wayne.


	5. Chapter 5: Winter Palace

**Author's Notes:** I have kept busy on my other on-going story, but managed to write this chapter and move on with the story. So here is where the Inquisition makes contact with Ciri and Bruce Wayne in the Winter Palace. Also, I played _Witcher 3's Blood and Wine_ DLC and found a reference to _Dragon Age_ though mentioning of Thedas. So, now those two worlds co-exists with each other as explained in this chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Winter Palace**

Getting into Halam'Shiral took making an appearance as everyone attending Empress Celene's Ball celebrating the downfall of Corypheus were announced on arrival. Thanks to the clothing Gaunter O'Dimm had provided Ciri and Bruce Wayne, they had managed to transform from travelers on the Path to attendances of the festivities. As for being announced on their arrival, to their surprise O'Dimm had given the announcer some believable credentials.

''Cirilla Fiona Elan Riannon, daughter of Emperor Emhyr var Emreis of Nilfgaard,'' the announcer called out as Ciri and Bruce Wayne entered the Ballroom to greet the Empress. ''Heiress to the throne of Cintra, heiress to the Inis of Ard Skellig and An Skellig.''

''Quite the resume,'' Bruce Wayne commented observing the Ballroom. ''Why the hell here wearing a mask that doesn't even cover their face well?''

''Accompanying her royal highness,'' the announcer said moving onto Bruce Wayne's presence, ''Comte Bruce Wayne, owner of Wayne Financial and commander of Miagani Security company.''

''A Templar Knight no more,'' Ciri said as her comment as they walked down and through the dance floor to greet the Empress, where everyone could see them. ''How long do you think our covers last?''

''O'Dimm made our covers match our lives, but they don't have much weight here,'' Comte Wayne said as discreetly as he could. ''We should do what we were sent to do and leave before anyone- Well, too late for that since everyone knows we are here.''

They had now walked under the alcove where Empress Celene was standing to great them. She was not a young woman but didn't look so old, that her age was better showcased on how long and experienced she appeared to be as a head of her country.

''Heiress Riannon, Comte Wayne, welcome to the Winter Palace,'' Empress Celene said with welcoming hospitality to Ciri and Bruce Wayne greeting them. ''I hope you will enjoy your stay.''

''It is a magnificent palace,'' Ciri said with at most elegance in her voice. ''Vizima doesn't have any palace like this.''

''Your royal highness,'' Comte Bruce Wayne said gesturing a bow, in a completely new and charming voice that made Ciri turn around to see if she heard it from the correct person, ''our presence here was the most welcomed of invites. Cirilla was unable to compare the Winter Palace to anything in Vizima, but where I'm from, Halam'shiral stands as a strong rival to oldest of our places of ceremony. I assure you, our stay here will be just as if we were at home.''

''What did you just say?'' Ciri whispered as Empress Celene looked down on her and Comte Wayne without yet giving her response.

''That is...'' the Empress said beginning to respond ''a lovely thing to hear from you, Comte. I'm sure you will have a more to discuss about the differences after you have seen the rest of the Winter Palace.''

Ciri just watched as Comte Wayne merely looked around before answering to the Empress.

''How soon would you wish us to have this conversation?''

Empress Celene looked fazed before making a small gesture pointing behind her and then another more noticeable gesture for Ciri and Bruce to move along, which they did after giving the Empress a respectful bow. As they walked up the stairs to climb out of the dance floor, they could see that behind Empress Celene there was a private balcony.

''I'll keep the Empress busy, you find Ambassador Briala,'' Bruce told Ciri before making his way towards the balcony and Empress Celene gave him an approving nod.

* * *

The Inquisition forces were ready and waiting outside the Winter Palace as Inquisitor Lavellan walked in with her advisers and three of closest allies with Morrigan. Cole had also been given task to mind himself among the guests as to try and locate this Ser Wayne and his accomplice as well as see if he could keep an eye out for the third person who had been able to see Thea, Morrigan, Vivienne and Dorian in the Fade.

Stepping into the Ball Room, the Inquisitor was announced with her companions and she greeted the Empress, who congratulated her on her triumph over defeating the ancient Magister once and for all.

''Thank you, your highness, but the Inquisition was what took down Corypheus, I merely lead the charge against him.''

''You are as humble as ever, my dear Inquisitor,'' Empress Celene said, ''but with all your accomplishments, it is understandable for you to wish for them to be kept grounded. Tonight is yours, Inquisitor. Celebrate as you see fit.''

Inquisitor Lavellan bowed to the Empress as she made her leave and the Empress made her exit to her balcony. Just as with her last visit, Leliana was already waiting at the top of the stairs.

''My agents have managed to steal the guest lists,'' Leliana said gesturing Inquisitor Lavellan to walk with her.

''Guest lists?'' Inquisitor asked. ''As in there were more than one of them?''

''Two of them, yes,'' Leliana answered leading the Inquisitor elsewhere in the Ball Room. ''There were two new names added to the other one, that were announced before we arrived.''

''Let me guess, Ser Bruce Wayne was on of them,'' Inquistor Lavellan said, but Leliana shook her head. ''No?''

''There was a comte named Bruce Wayne on the list, owner of a security company and accompanying Cirilla Riannon, the daughter of Emhyr var Emreis,'' Leliana said as they were joined by by Josephine and Cullen. ''Josephine should be able to tell who he is.''

''Emhyr var Emreis is the Emperor of Nilfgaard across the ocean to the east of Ferelden,'' Josephine said showcasing once again how well versed her knowledge in politics was, ''not to mention he currently in the middle of a war to invade other countries in that coast. Having his daughter here is at most unheard of when concidering Nilfgaard's current status.''

''So could Bruce Wayne also be from Nilfgaard?'' Inquisitor Lavellan asked. ''And are his titles even real or made up?''

''Nilfgaard, along with other countries across the ocean like Temeria, Redania and Kaedwan don't practice Andrasteism and so don't have the Templar Order working there,'' Leliana said, discreetly showing some disgust form her voice. ''Instead they have the Church of Eternal Fire and it's ruthless witch hunters. If Wayne is indeed a knight, he would have to be from Toussaint. We will have our chance to ask him once he is in our custody.''

''Cole, Iron Bull and Vivienne are currently going through the court looking for Wayne as well as Riannon,'' Cullen said while also looking over at the guests, ''while Bull's Chargers are waiting outside the Winter Palace with 20 Inquisition soldiers for us to lure him there. They cannot leave without running into our people.''

''Good,'' Inquisitor Lavellan said nodding her head in approval. ''We know what they look like. Let's go find- Look over there.''

Leliana, Josephine and Cullen looked at where the Inquisitor was pointing and saw a foregin fashioned man in a well dressed suit approaching an ashen haired young woman in an elegant silvery dress.

* * *

''Did you just flirt with the Empress of Orlais?'' Ciri asked looking at Comte Wayne as he came back from having his discussion with Empress Celene.

''I was mostly being a noble gentleman, you haven't seen me when I'm really on the prowl,'' Bruce straightening his tie and glancing behind himself. ''Besides, I've known a few women like her, meaning I know where to stop before going too far.''

''Are you trying to tell me she made a move on you and turned her down?'' Ciri asked in disbelief.

''Don't ask and I won't lie to you,'' Bruce said observing their surroundings. ''Have you made any progress in locating Ambassador Briala?''

''Yes, while you were flirting with the Empress,'' Ciri said nodding her head towards a balcony behind her. ''I told her Fen'Harel's message and about your part in it. She is waiting to see you and the mark on your hand.''

''Then let's get this over with,'' Bruce said walking to the other balcony.

In the other balcony, right from the one where Bruce had met with Empress Celene, there was a slender built woman in a green dress and a festivitive mask like everyone else in the court was wearing. No doubt, she was an elf as well and compared to the other elves present in the court, she was not a servant and obviosly a highly regarded member of the court.

''Bruce Wayne, you're supposed to have something interesting and valuable for the elves' future,'' Briala said as Bruce approached her. ''Seeing how the Inquisitor's mark came from an Elven Orb, it is suprising how you, a human, has one now.''

''Here, have a look at it,'' Bruce said pulling up his left hand's sleeve and presented it towards Briala. ''I myself don't know what it is, so I hope you do.''

''She stood among her sisters, wanting to get away so she allowed herself to be stolen. She was so happy to be taken that she always sought to take her captor to where they were needed and always made sure he wasn't alone.''

''What?''

A pale young man with blond hair in dark pants and red velvet jacket was sitting on railing of the balcony next to Bruce and Briala. As soon as he spoke,

 _TSAAHP!_

the mark on Bruce's hand begun to glow and spark red energy out of it.

''He wanted to help her, willing to go to Hell and back, leaving him vulnerable to it's corruption. He needed blood after that, lots of blood, so he took yours,'' the young man said sitting up from the railing and approached Bruce. ''His friend stopped him and gave you your blood back, but it made the part left of her in you scared and confused, so she had to get away taking you with him.''

''Who are you talking about?'' Briala asked looking back and forth between Bruce's mark and the young man.

But the young man's presence had already alarmed Bruce to start look around his surroundings. Already he could catch a red haired woman looking at him from accross the ball room, a blond man with a soldier's stature looking like he was ready to attack and then a large man with grey skin and large horns. Then he saw Ciri being confronted by a tanned woman with her hair in a bun and another elf. She looked at Bruce and he could read from her lips ''Run NOW!''

 _PTOOTH!_

Having concealed the utility belt Fen'Harel had given him with his first suit, Bruce moved to his right past the young man and jumped back first of the railing, before pulling out his grabble gun and aimed for the roof, grabbling himself up there. This grabble gun wasn't stronger than the one he had created for himself so the pull back was sent him fly few feet over the ledge and managed to stay intact with an agile somersault. Having landed near the skylight, Bruce saw the elf running to the balcony he had grabbled away from and Ciri besting the tanned woman out of her way and beginning to make her way out of the ball room.

''Ciri, do you copy?'' Bruce said moving his hand to his ear.

'' _No one I know is going to believe me about this_ ,'' Ciri's voice said in Bruce's ear. '' _This is like a portable megascope_.''

''We'll talk about them later, now we need to get out of here,'' Bruce said moving away from the skylight and to see the area surrounding the winter palace. ''You gave Fen'Harel's message to Briala and she saw the mark on my hand. Do you think our work here is done?''

'' _It better be, because we can't stay here any more_ ,'' Ciri's voice spoke as Bruce took out a set of binoculars to scour the surrounding area. '' _One of those people knows my father and is bound to contact him after she saw me_.''

''Another topic for another time. The palace is surrounded making it difficult to leave without them noticing us,'' Bruce said putting out the binoculars and started to change his clothes. ''When you mentioned you have abilities Avallac'h is helping you to master. What do they include?''

* * *

''I cannot use them without the Wild Hunt picking up my trail,'' Ciri said running down the stairs towards the entrance to the gardens. ''The reason Avallac'h and I have been on the run through different worlds is because of-''

 _FLAAASSSHHH!_

Ciri's escape was cut as the doors to the gardens were suddenly frozen stuck and she couldn't open it. She had not even used her powers to attract the Wild Hunt so how-

''My dear, running out from your responsibilities is multiple steps away from growing up,'' Madame Vivienne de Fer said from atop the stairs with Josephine and the Iron Bull standing next to her. ''Another step backwards is solicitation with a man twice your age number of miles away from home.''

''You heard the Ma'am,'' the Iron Bull said with his hands crossed looking down on Ciri. ''Just come with us, Cirilla.''

Ciri's response was to break a vitrine and grab a blunt object to break the door and run outside where the Inquisition soldiers were standing by with Bulls' Chargers.

''Krem, she is the daughter of the head of a foreign nation!'' Iron Bull yelled to his lietenant among the soldiers. ''No-''

 _PTOOTH!_

 **Stump! Stump! Stump! Stump! Stump! Stump!**

A gas bomb was thrown from the roof followed by throwable projectiles aimed for the soldiers and Chargers' weapon arms.

''Here's your sword,'' Bruce's voice said as he suddenly landed next to Ciri in his previous on the road armor and gave her her sword. ''Our work here is done, let's get back to- AARGH!''

A set of knifes were thrown onto Bruce's back by Cole, who Ciri immediately begun to confront with her sword.

''Don't worry, he won't die, we want him alive,'' Cole said approaching Ciri calmly. ''You don't need to fight us.''

 _PTOOTH!_

Bruce used his grabble gun to fire a zip-line above the garden and the soldiers to the outside of the Winter Palace, before getting up as fast as he could while having the knifes on his back. Ciri helped him put something on the zipline and getting a running start to start line gliding away. They got over halfway to the other side of the garden, when the rope started loose balance. Being heavier, Bruce fell off the zip-line while Ciri kept on going, looking back she saw Inquisitor Lavellan having used her Spirit Blade to cut the rope and Bruce falling down to the ground. She could see him being surrounded by three mages.

Madame Vivienne, Lady Morrigan and Dalish of the Bulls's Chargers approached the masked assailant who had just attacked the Inquisition and attempted to escape with Cirilla Riannon. Cole had already wounded him with knifes, but he was still trying to get back up on his feet.

* * *

''Impressive prowess,'' Morrigan said as the assailant tried to stay on his feet and reach to his belt for his equipment, ''but you must realize you are surrounded and have no where to run.''

 _TSAAHP!_

The left hand of the assailant begun to glow red, revealing to them who he was.

''Bruce Wayne,'' Inquisitor Lavellan said approaching the assailant with her staff pointed at, ''You are under arrest by the authority of the Inquisition. You are to be take to Skyhold for questioning of your motives and trialed according to your crimes.''

Masked Bruce Wayne shook his head and raised his fists like he was ready to start brawling with them. Inquisitor Lavellan pulled her staff back and stepped aside before calling out

''Bull!''

The Iron Bull stepped in front of Bruce Wayne, towering him with his height and looked down on him without even trying to look intimidating.

''Doesn't matter how good you might be, you're not in a good shape for fighting me,'' the Iron Bull said as Bruce Wayne seemed to be analyzing the Qunari's body for weak spots. ''Yeah, that's what they teach us in the Qun too. Don't bother to-''

 _PTOOTH!_

Bruce Wayne used his grabble gun to fire a projectile with a rope into the Iron Bull's shoulder and pulled himself to fly up to kick him into the face. Doing this he also let himself vulnerable to the Inquisitor to freeze him in the air and fall to the ground again. Before he could get up, Commander Cullen quickly walked to him and kicked him enough times to make sure he didn't get up.

''Inquisitor,'' Cullen said having put his boot on Wayne's back and knell to pull of his mask to reveal his face, ''we have him in custody now and ready to be take into Skyhold.''

* * *

 **Authors Notes:** He put up a good fight, but this is not where he is from and those tactics don't really work the same way here. So, now Bruce Wayne is in the Inquisition's custody and being taken to Skyhold. Of course he is not going to stay there and Ciri will attempt to help him out, even if it means she has to use her powers and risk attracting the Wild Hunt's attention.

 **Responds to Reviews:**

 **The best: Bruce Wayne is in Thedas for the events that have transpired in my previous stories Hereafter and Arcane War between Gods and Men.**

 **Guest: That's going to be Cassandra and Leliana for the beginning. Of course the Iron Bull can pick it up with the Qun's re-educator techniques.**


	6. Chapter 6: White Frost and White Phantom

**Author's notes:** Skyhold, Sera's cookies, Grey Wardens' Joining ritual, Left and Right Hands of Divine Justinia interrogating the man with the Red Anchor, Lady of Space and Time doing rock climbing and unexpected visitors arrive with their shocking surprises. That's all the synopsis I can give for this chapter.

* * *

 **White Frost and a White Phantom**

 _Skyhold, Sera's roof_

''Here, take a cookie.''

The Joining was only hours away and soon Thom Rainier would officially be a Grey Warden. Although he had spent years impersonating as one, Thom had no idea what the Joining ritual was, Warden Alistair and the original Blackwall had only said it has something to do with Darkspawn blood and the rest was kept vague. It was such an unknown deed to be done that as it got closer to be done, the more nervous it got for Thom.

''Thank you, Sera,'' Thom said taking a cookie from Sera, who sat next to him on the edge of the roof. ''I already have my blood, Amell and Oghren should be back with the other recruits with their blood soon and then-''

''No Warden talk,'' Sera said stuffing a cookie into Thom's mouth. ''Cookies.''

Thom took the cookie and started slowly to eat it.

''Something new I started making now that were Coriphyness free,'' Sera said looking at Thom eating the cookie. ''Doesn't taste like pride, doesn't it?''

''No, Sera,'' Thom said having digested enough to judge the taste of the cookie. ''If I had to have a last meal before the Joining, I glad it's your cookies.''

''Oh, you have cookies. Can I have some?''

Dorian had walked down from the castle to the upper courtyard and had obviously seen them first as he had walked to over to them. He was carrying a book.

''Thought you had already left for Tevinter,'' Thom said looking down on Dorian.

''I suppose I would have, but thanks to our dear Inquisitor updating the library on proper Tevinter books,'' Dorian said showing them book he was carrying. ''I didn't need to make the long journey to my homeland when everything I needed was here all along.''

''What were you looking for?'' Thom asked.

''Something the Inquisitor would be interested to see, hold on, I'm coming up there,'' Dorian said before running into Herald's Rest and soon through Sera's window to the roof. ''I must say I can see why you like it up here, Sera. The bird poop really puts the-''

''Stop saying that, you!'' Sera said trying to hit Dorian.

''What were you going to tell us?'' Thom asked once Sera had calmed down. ''About what you found?''

Dorian put up a serious face before sitting in between Thom and Sera.

''As you probably know, before leaving for the Winter Palace, the Inquisitor entered the Fade trying to learn more about the connection between her Anchor and the one on this Bruce Wayne fellow,'' Dorian said putting his book ready for display. ''I was one of the mages who entered the Fade with her and we did see Bruce Wayne as well as his companions, one of them managing to communicate with us. In a similar way that reminded me of a Tevinter legend.''

''Can't be anything worse than Coriphyness?'' Sera said not sure if she was going to like what she was about to hear.

''This goes far further than when those Magisters tried to enter the Golden City,'' Dorian said shaking his head. ''A former magister who had lost his fortune and status, was slaving himself off and-''

''HA hahahahah!A noble pushed down to peasant's level?'' Sera said sniggering with her face turning to a grin. ''I like this story already.''

''That is going to change in a bit,'' Dorian said twirling his mustache ominously. ''Being down on his luck, the magister of course called out for the Old Gods on his misfortune and went for the good old 'I'll do anything to get it all back'. That is when he was approached by a merchant who offered to grant his wishes.''

''That doesn't sound so bad,'' Sera said looking out if anyone was coming inside.

''Granting wishes and giving you what you want are two separate things,'' Dorian said passively, ''which is the fine difference the magister should have noticed. He was given back what he had lost, but in the end the merchant expected to be paid back.''

''How does the story end?'' Thom asked.

''This takes place just about before the magisters attempted to enter the Golden City so it was overshadowed by the first Blight,'' Dorian said rather furiously slamming the book shut. ''Kaffas! I KNEW I should have gone to Minrathous libraries for this! But this merchant mentioned in the story resembles what the man in the Fade reminded me of.''

''The're coming back!''

The Inquisitor with her forces and the Grey Wardens were walking into Skyhold from the drawbridge to the lower courtyard. The Warden recruits were carrying their vials of Darkspawn blood and among the Inquisition forces the Bull's Chargers were keeping a man wearing an overcoat over a light armor in chains as he was being moved towards the dungeons.

''That is Ser Wayne, yes?'' Dorian asked out loud as they watched the chained man and then at the Bulls' Chargers escorting him to the dungeons.

''Looks like he put up a fight,'' Thom said seeing the Iron Bull rubbing his shoulder.

''Even on then way here!'' the Iron Bull grunted noticing Thom, Dorian and Sera. ''If Seheron had at least one of his kind, the Qun would have never managed to take it back from the rebels.''

''How did you ever manage to restrain him?'' Dorian asked.

''Team effort,'' the Iron Bull answered glancing at Cole and Vivianne talking with the Inquisitor and then at his mercenary group. ''When you get him to the brink, the drinks will be waiting in Herald's Rest!''

* * *

''Take his equipment to the armory for further inspection,'' Inquisitor Lavellan told Ser Morris as she presented him Bruce Wayne's equipment belt, cowl and gauntlets. ''Josephine, how soon can we get a word to Nilfgaard?''

''Nifgaardian region is miles away in the east, on the other side of the ocean, meaning a messenger bird will take three days max reaching Emperor Emhyr,'' Josephine replied already penning a letter on her board. ''I shall inform his royal highness that the while capturing a person of interest, we came across his daughter accompanying the suspect and wish to be informed if he knew of Cirilla' presence in Orlais.''

''Good,'' the Inquisitor said and now turned to face Warden Commander Amell and Warden Ohgren. ''I assume your recruits have their Darkspawn bloods?''

''Yes, and Grand Enchanter Fiona has allowed us to use the mage's tower for the Joining Ritual,'' Warden Commander Amell replied. ''Those who survive will leave with us to Weisshoup in the mourn.''

''Good, everything seems to be in order,'' Inquisitor Lavellan said nodding her head.

The Inquisition had made progress. It's first non-Corypheus issue after the Magister's death had been addressed to and now it was time to regroup again in order to focus for next order of business: Bruce Wayne, his red anchor and his connections to Cirilla Riannon and the Nilfgaardian connection. The Iron Bull was not in the mood right now to start interrogating Wayne, he wasn't exactly keen on using the Qun's methods for extracting information unless it was for the last resort where Wayne did end up being too tough for Cassandra and Leliana.

''Are you sure you can handle him?'' Inquisitor Lavellan asked as she saw Cassandra and Leliana approaching the the dungeons.

''We will start with basic information we have on him and see how he reacts,'' Cassandra replied in a self assured tone. ''Wayne might or might not be a Templar, but as a Seeker of Truth I do know how to pressure men like him.''

''And however he will react, the more we shall learn of him,'' Leliana said with reassurance in her voice. ''Bruce Wayne will not remain as a stranger to us for long.''

* * *

 _Surroundings around Skyhold_

All the way to the border between Orlais and Ferelden. This Inquisition had it's army based on the mountains between two countries on a neutral soil. Quite clever as Ciri saw it. Following the Inquisitor and her forces taking Bruce to their fortress ON FOOT had been exhausting even with her Witcher training. Regardless, Ciri needed to get Bruce back from the Inquisition's hands and back to Fen'Harel. The Dread Wolf would not be pleased that Ciri had lost his red anchor.

The castle was held up in the middle of a gorge, where the watchmen on the battlements could see visitors and enemies trying to approach, so the front entrance was out of the question. Using her powers to move from on place to another would have attracted Eredin and the Wild Hunt to find her, so that was a firm no as well. Only entrances that Ciri could scour around the castle were the open wall at the forge and then there was the dungeon area where Bruce no doubt was kept in. That part of the fortress was still damaged from some old attack, so it worked as a sky-prison where you couldn't escape from unless you knew how to fly. And there was a waterfall making the climb more challenging.

''Easy way in and the long way to the target,'' Ciri said out loud weighting her options, ''or the hard way in and and easier access to the target? What would Geralt do in this situation?''

* * *

 _Skyhold, Dungeons_

Bruce Wayne was sitting on his knees with his hands tied with a brace that kept him from moving them. His left hand was sending small but noticeable red sparks from it, giving some lighting to the dark cell that moonlight didn't manage light. In this desperate situation, Bruce lifted up his head, feeling what he recognized as false hope and said ''Clark!''

Of course not, this was not where he was from and his friend with the impressive hearing... Bruce was not his focused area of hearing. False hope, only an idiot would have believed it to work.

''Bruce Wayne,'' Seeker Cassandra Pentaghast spoke opening the cell door and entered with Sister Leliana, ''the great master of the Game.''

''If you say so, Selina,'' Bruce said raising his head and faced the two women. ''Love what you've done with your hair, Kate. Is it for Maggie or Renee?''

The two women stopped on their tracks over their confusion of Bruce's response.

''Oh, I'm sorry, I must have mistaken you lovely ladies for someone else I know,'' Bruce continued using the same charming tone he had used at the Winter Palace on Empress Celene. ''You both have an uncanny resemblance with two very attractive women I know.''

Cassandra and Leliana looked at each other confused, while Bruce kept up a charming behavior.

''Are they noble maids you have protected as a knight at Toussaint?'' Leliana asked showcasing her extent of immunity to Bruce's charm. ''Or from Vizima?''

''Are you sure you want to talk about them?'' Bruce asked keeping his head up and smiled charmingly. ''Why don't we change the subject on your-''

''This isn't a social interaction,'' Cassandra said in a threatening voice as Leliana leaned closer down towards Bruce. ''This is an interrogation and you can either cooperate or be forced to cooperate.''

Still channeling into his billionaire playboy persona, Bruce responded to that with another charming smile that masked any doubt and uncertainty.

''Do your worst.''

* * *

 _Clink!_

Re-equipped and in changed clothes, Ciri had started her climb up towards the Inquisition's fortress. Gaunter O'Dimm had offered Bruce more equipment in addition to the ones Fen'Harel had given him, but as he had not taken them, Ciri had and they were making the climb much easier. It was still challenging with having to carry the rope and safety hooks, that she was supposed stick to the rock to keep her from falling, with her sword.

 _Clink!_

''Hhh!''

With the climbing equipment making the climb easier, Ciri had decided to take the climb to the dungeon area up the harder route and getting above the waterfall, it was the time to enter the fortress by-

''HIYAAA!''

Swinging down from above the hole and into the open dungeon area. Empty cells, so no witnesses for Ciri's entrance and the pouring water made the needed amount of noise to hide any-

 _Clank!_

One of the safety clips, the one holding the rope at on the spot Ciri was swinging towards the inside, got loose from the rock and her angle changed. Ciri was no longer swinging herself towards the cliff, but at the rock wall. On an unfortunate instinct-

FLASH!

Ciri tapped into using her Elder Blood powers and moved herself from falling towards the wall and up to the tiled cliff.

''Aah, DAMN!'' Ciri let out trying to keep her voice down and looked in desperation at the rope swinging back and forth from above the hole in the wall.

One faulty safety clip had caused Ciri to use her powers and having used them would send a trace to Eredin, meaning that the Wild Hunt's arrival to the Inquisition's fortress would be only the matter of time.

''Bruce, you better be close by!''

* * *

''What were you doing in the Winter Palace with the daughter of the Nilfgaardian Emperor?'' Leliana asked keeping two blades near two vulnerable points on Bruce Wayne's body. ''Answering any part of that question gets one of these knifes away and a wrong answer makes you bleed from places that shorten your lifespan.''

''Meaning you would be ready to kill me if I didn't tell you anything and would be ready to live without the answers,'' Bruce said, as a statement and not a question. ''To answer your, I have a social life and as a plus one.''

''You are not a comte or a business owner, 'ser' Wayne,'' Leliana spoke to Bruce making her blades connect his skin with enough pressure, that more would penetrate and cause bleeding. ''How did you make contact with Cirilla Riannon?''

''Craigslist,'' was Bruce's daring and confusing response, as Cassandra noticed something on the outside of the cell. ''We met on Craigslist.''

''You are playing with your-''

''LELIANA!'' Cassandra yelled from the outside and from his point of view, Bruce could see he raising her sword to attack, but the sword was intercepted by gauntlets in the attacker's left arm and

SMACK!

Cassandra being elbowed by the attacker's right arm.

Both Bruce and Leliana then saw Cassandra's attacker step into the door frame. Leliana's first response was to turn her blades towards the tall, but slender figure wearing a dark cloak over his body and a face obscuring helmet with two pointy ears. Before Leliana could attack, Bruce jumped up on his feet and hit her from behind with the large shackles.

''I can see that she acted on an instinct, but you should never turn your back on the target,'' the attacker said walking into the cell and looked at Bruce. ''Is that really you, Bruce?''

Bruce didn't respond at first, because he could not believe it was who he thought it would be standing in front of him. He recognized the young man's voice, but couldn't understand how he could be here. Before Bruce could question his presence, he saw a familiar sword swinging at them and moved the young man out of the way and grabbed it's owner's arm.

''You're late,'' Bruce told Ciri and gestured her to lower her sword, but keep it out.

''We have less time than you think,'' Ciri said tearing her arm back and pointed her sword at the masked young man. ''Who is he?!''

Bruce turned to look at his rescuer, who recognizing the gravity of the situation removed his mask to reveal his face and for Bruce to see he was who he thought.

''His name is Dick Grayson,'' Bruce said looking at his former ward standing in front of him and wearing his old uniform. ''Dick, this is Ciri. How are you here?''

* * *

''How do you think he is holding up there?'' The Iron Bull asked pointing his drink up towards the Mage's Tower on the eastern wall of Skyhold.

He was leaning against the stairs to the castle from the upper courtyard as Sera, Varric and Hawke sat on them on the qunari's shoulder height. They were all looking up to the area given to the mages on Skyhold and that Grand Enchanter Fiona had allowed for the Grey Wardens to use for the Joining ritual, which was what Thom Rainier was undergoing at the moment to become a Grey Warden.

''I have heard about Tal-Vashoths undertaking the Joining ritual for the Grey Wardens, but those are mostly just rumors.''

''Qunari Grey Wardens, how would the Qun respond to them?'' Varric asked looking up at the tower as well. ''Blackwall- no, I mean Thom, what chances do you think he has to live through the Joining?''

''Better than Maryden's if she doesn't stop singing that creepy song,'' Sera said glaring at bard playing her lute in front of Herald's Rest. ''Thom is one of the good Wardens and he has fought with us through bad things. He would survive the Joining, right? Right!?''

''It should be possible,'' Hawke said patting her hand on Sera's back reassuringly. ''Does it usually snow up here?''

Everyone else noticed it too, including the Inquisitor as she walked down the stairs from the castle. They felt temperature dropping as it had begun snowing.

''It's the beginning of Spring and it didn't snow over the winter,'' Inquisitor Lavellan said as Sera stuck out her tongue to catch snow flakes. ''I wonder if Morrigan-''

''AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!'' Sera yelled holding her hands over her mouth and almost fell down the stairs if the Iron Bull hadn't caught her.

''Sera, calm down,'' the Iron Bull said holding Sera down to see what was hurting her before yelling at his group. ''Stitches! Get over here!''

Healer of the Bull's Chargers beamed to Sera as the elf's tiny mouth was uncovered and they could see that her tongue had a serious frostbite. Stitches took put a bottle of fire tonic and poured a drip on Sera's tongue, just as

THOOM!

portals appeared onto the courtyard and large soldiers in intimidating armors and armed with large weapons stepped out of them with hounds that had large icicles for fur.

The White Frost had heralded the Wild Hunt's arrival to the Skyhold.

* * *

 **Author's notes:** The next chapter, I wish I had a good artist working with me because the next chapter would be a visual spectacular with the Inquisition fighting the Wild Hunt with Bruce, Ciri and Dick Grayson mixed into the battle.

As for Dick Grayson's presence, it connects to my other ongoing story Life in the Circle of Magi, but it also has something to do with Gaunter O'Dimm.

 **Replies to Reviews:**

 **zackshadrack: Because the last time the Inquisition ran into someone with a Red Anchor, that someone was the Venatori Magister Livius Erimond, who had gained his anchor from Corypheus and tried to turn all the Grey Wardens of Orlais into an army of demons. They don't know where Bruce Wayne got his Red Anchor and experience tells them it's origin can't be good. And the first introductions the Inquisition had with Bruce didn't go so well.**


	7. Chapter 7: Battle for Skyhold

**Author's notes:** This is something I would have wanted there to have been in Dragon Age: Inquisition too; a battle that happens in Skyhold similar how the Village of Haven was attacked. I would also like if I could have somehow managed to illustrate the battle scenes that happen here and not just try to describe it all.

And this chapter also breaks a naming tabu by using a name I wasn't going to use, but not on Bruce Wayne.

* * *

 **Battle for Skyhold**

 _Skyhold, Mages' Tower_

''Join us, brothers and sisters,'' Warden-Commander Amell spoke to Thom Rainier and all the other Grey Warden recruits attending the Joining ritual. ''Join us in the shadows where we stand vigilant. Join us as we carry the duty that cannot be forsworn. And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten. And that one day we shall join you.''

''Time to drink up,'' Warden Oghren said carrying the silver chalice containing lyrium, darkspawn blood and blood from the Archdemon. ''And don't bother to complain about the cup's size. I already did and it's still the same.''

Thom stepped forward. His joining was long overdue to he saw that it was best that he was the first to drink from the chalice.

''From this moment on, Thom Rainier,'' Warden-Commander Amell spoke as Thom took the chalice and lifted it up on his lips, ''you are a Grey Warden.''

''So let it be,'' Thom said before pouring down the content of the chalice down his throat.

Right after having digested the mixture, Thom felt unable to stand and lost his footing, falling down on his back.

 _Sitting up, Thom was no longer up on the Mages' Tower in Skyhold, but at the site of his life when he had stopped calling himself Thom Rainier the last time. Where he had, as a captain of Orlesian army ordered his men to attack Lord Vincent Callier and his entourage, including the Noble's children. If becoming a Warden was meant as his atonement, witnessing what he had done was necessary for gaining it._

 _''_ His Smile fair as spring, as towards him he draws you _,'' Thom suddenly heard from among the dead corpses. ''_ His tongue sharp and silvery as he implores you _.''_

 _''_ Your wishes he grants, as he swears to adore you _,'' creepy song continued as Thom approached the corpses and was startled by the sight. ''_ Gold, silver, jewels he lay riches before you _.''_

 _''_ Dues need be repaid and he will come for you _,'' the corpses of the children sang with black eyes and in hollow voice. ''_ All to reclaim, no smile to console you _.''_

 _''_ He'll snare you in bonds, eyes glowing afire _'' the song went on and Thom turned away, to see what the dead were singing about. ''_ To gore and torment you until the stars expire _.''_

 _Bald man dressed as a peasant merchant was standing above Thom on higher ground, looking down on him and smiling just as the dead children had described by their singing. Then Thom remembered what Dorian had told him and Sera about the merchant in Tevinter before the First Blight._

''He is coming to,'' voices spoke above Thom as he was regaining counciousness. ''Welcome to the Wardens, brother.''

Thom was helped up by Warden Ohgren and looking around he could see who else had survived the Joining ritual. Some of Leliana's elven spies were laying dead on the the cold stone floor of the tower while at least one elf was coming back to her senses like.

''I am a Grey Warden,'' Thom said looking at his hands like they supposed to have turned different. ''Brhh, did it suddenly get colder?''

''Nah, that's just the mountain weather,'' Warden Ohgren said waving his hand as he turned to look at the dead recruits and held onto his blood vial pendent. ''Three dead this time, on my Joining it was just Mhairi and...''

''That is what Warden's Promises are for,'' Warden Commander Amell said presenting the two vials of blood tied to ropes similar to Warden Ohgren's pendant. ''These are to remember those who didn't survive the Joining. Warden Rainier, Warden Thano, welcome to the Order.''

Thom and the elf had barely put on their pendants when-

''AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!''

''Sera?'' Thom said recogninzing the scream's voice and turned to look down to the countyard where he could see the Iron Bull holding a strugling Sera as on of the Chargers was pouring something to her mouth as every one looked around.

That was when Thom and other Wardens notice that it had begun snowing. Event that was followed by the cold portals sending large soldiers in heavy armor and hounds with icicles for to the ramparts and multiple areas in the castle.

* * *

 _Skyhold, Dungeons_

''Luthor?''

''Built a huge tower on the bay between Gotham and Metropolis for all the mages the Crime Syndicate outed,'' Dick Grayson said taking a gizmo from his belt to unlock Bruce's chains. ''It's supposed to open tomorrow, so I went to check it out and for some reason I'm here.''

 _CLANK!_

the chains fell from Bruce's hands to the stone floor.

''While we're on the topic, where is here?'' Dick asked putting the gizmo back on his belt and the helmet on his head. ''Doesn't look anywhere-''

''Somewhere we need to leave now!'' Ciri said alarmed pointing at steam coming out of Dick's mouth as he spoke and then at the steam coming out of her mouth. ''It's cold, they are here.''

''Who?'' Bruce asked as Ciri grabbed him by his hand and begun drag him with her. ''Ciri, what is it!?''

''I had to use my powers to get in here and using them attracts attention,'' Ciri replied hastely leading Bruce out of his cell and towards the stairs. ''We can't leave the way I entered, so we need to borrow their mounts.''

''Hey, wait a minute,'' Dick said

 _CLING!_

throwing a blade similar to the heralding symbol on his armor to the side of the wall near Ciri, telling her to stop. ''He asked you a question.''

''We don't have time for-''

''We are not running out there blind without knowing what we are going to face!''

Ciri looked back and forth between Bruce, Dick and the light of stairs leading up. Her first selfish priority was staying alive and not letting the Wild Hunt catch her, but she had also been tasked by Fen'Harel, to whom Avallac'h had vouched her, to keep Bruce alive in order to use his red anchor to help the elves. Under different circumstances she could have clogged out Bruce and dragged him with her, but the presence of this 'Dick Grayson' had changed the board for that.

''Wild Hunt s a group of specters, led by their King, Eredin Bréacc Glas, who wants to capture me for my powers connected to the Elder Blood,'' Ciri said shieving her sword and speaking in a clear tone, but in haste. ''Eredin is an Aen Elle elf, who once forced my friends into finding me, leading Geralt to give up his soul to have Yen released from Eredin and I barely managed have him freed from them-''

Bruce put his hand on Ciri's shoulder as a sign she had told enough. Reliving the memories she had used to paint a picture to them had brought up unpleasent memories and they needed to be focused.

''Specters, so ghosts?'' Dick asked having placed Cassandra and Leliana in Bruce's former cell with it's door unlocked and their weapons in their hands. ''Think they can handle that if they come down here?''

''Once we get out of the castle and get them to chase us, they won't be the Inquisition's problem anymore,'' Ciri said refocused and gesturing the two men to get up the stairs. ''Past that we just need to outrun them.''

''Dick,'' Bruce said looking at the belt on the young man's waist, ''what equipment do you have on yourself?''

* * *

 _Skyhold, the upper countryard_

Cold, so cold. The temperature had lowered point where it felt you might be paralyzed. Inquisitor Lavellan had survived the Frostback Mountains after Corypheus had destroyed Haven, but compared to this temperature, remembering it felt like it had happened under the daylight sun at the Western Approach. The freezing temperatures would have killed the Inquisitor and the ones close to her if not for

 ** _ZOOM!_**

the Aegis of the Rift focus ability the Inquisitor had mastered at the Frostback Basin. The shield it provided was just enough to cover her, Varric, Sera, Iron Bull and Hawke while Dalish had conjured a protective aura for the Bull's Chargers and Maryden the Bard, while Vivienne and Dorian did the same for those close to them as well while Morrigan was covering Cullen and Josephine. But when everyone were busy staying warm, they were unable and weak to fight against the large soldiers who had infiltrated Skyhold with the their hounds.

'' _Caer Ban Ard, Aen Saevherne_ ,'' the leading soldier whose helmet appeared to be an iron helmet with a skull shaped face plate said approaching the Inquisitor. '' _Ceádmil, Wedd Caedéne_.''

''What the hell kind of language is that?'' Iron Bull asked, obviously hiding his intimidation of the soldiers being larger than him as he reached for his weapons.

'' _Glaeddyvan vort_!'' The leader ordered as he removed his helmet's faceplate to reveal his face. '' _Squass'me, Wedd Caedéne_.''

''Wait, they are elves!?'' Varric said puzzled seeing the leader's face and recognizing it' features similar to the Inquisitor and Sera. ''Merril is in for a shock when she learns about this.''

'' _Garas quenathra_?'' Inquisitor Lavellan responded in Elven as the leader shook his head.

''You are not well versed in the Elder Speech, sor'ca,'' the leader spoke changing his speech into more understandable tongue that the Inquisitor could understand. ''I am Eredin, King of the Wild Hunt, and we have traced the inh'eid who carries the Elder Blood in her vein to to your home.''

'' _Ara serrana-ma_?'' the Inquisitor continued in Elven to ask why Eredin and his forces were in Skyhold, before continuing, '' _Anderan atish'an_ , there is no need to harm anyone. Who are you looking for and how do you know they would be here?''

'' _Vir sumeil, Da'len_ ,'' Eredin responded with impatince in his voice. ''You are decent of Aen Seidhe, not Aen Elle, but we still saw it necessary to approach you and ask that you hand over Zireael peacefully. Our patience is running thin.''

''Think we can we fight these guys?'' Varric asked with his hands behind his back and reaching for Bianca. ''How long would we last?''

''Not long in this temperature,'' Hawke said looking around their surroundings and saw a light above them. ''Looks like the heat is about to come down.''

 _ **BROOOH!**_

 _ **BROOOH!**_

 _ **BROOOH!**_

And indeed, from the mages' tower great balls of fire were shot down against the Wild Hunt. Some of them were aimed straight for offence against them while others and others were aimed for wooden structures to be set on fire for the cold to warm up. The next thing that happened was Cole and the Grey Warden rogues attacking the soldiers of the Wild Hunt from behind their backs and getting the hounds to attack them. With this, Warden Oghren and Thom Reinier moved to support their rogues from the hounds as Warden Commander Amell and Grand Enchanter Fiona provinging cover from the soldiers by using magic.

''That's one way to fix the Gray Wardens' reputation,'' the Iron Bull said pulling out his axe and ran into the skirmish as Sera raised her bow and begun to fire arrows with Varric doing the same with Bianca. ''CHARGERS! HORNS UP!''

''HORNS UP!'' Krem yelled with her sword up and lead the rest of the Chargers to the fight behind their chief.

''Get them to fall back!'' Inquisitor Lavellan yelled raising her spectral sword and begun to shoot fire from her staff to inspire the Inquisition soldiers to join the fight. ''Don't let them take the castle!''

''AEN ELLE!'' Eredin yelled as a war cry as he put his faceplate back onto his helmet and raised his sword.

Soldiers of the Inquisistion and the Wild Hunt faced of on the countryards and the battlements of Skyhold with the Gray Wardens doing their part as well as they seemed to be immune to the cold brought the presence of the Wild Hunt. But the battle seemed to be going on as a standstill. The Inquisition kept loosing soldiers as they were cut down while the Wild Hunt regained their numbers being sent from portals that appeared throughout the coutryards.

Until suddenly

 **BOOM!**

one of the portals was thrown by something that caused them to collapse on themselves.

 **BOOM!**

 **BOOM!**

and other portals kept collapsing. While it was a good thing for the Inquisition, it did raise some eyebrows to wonder what was being thrown at the portals and who was throwing them.

''WAYNE!'' Iron Bull eventually yelled pointing at the walls where Bruce Wayne was, again wearing his work clothes, hanging from there by a rope and throwing blades at the portals. ''WAYNE IS LOOSE!''

''Wayne is not a priority right now!'' the Inquisitor yelled fighting the soldiers of the Wild Hunt, but Bull ignored that and threw a grapping chain to pull Wayne off the wall, but

BOCK!

the qunari's face was then suddenly met by the bottom of someone's boots. Inquisitor Lavellan could just enough see a figure wearing a large cloak, light armor and a face obscuring helmet similar to what Wayne had worn at the Winter Palace. Except this person was more limber and agile in moving himself around the battlefield and throwing bolas at the soldiers' feet.

''The Wild Hunt's your enemy, Inquisitor,'' Wayne's masked ally told Inquisitor Lavellan as he armed himself with long metal sticks, ''not Bruce Wayne. That applies to you too, Iron Bull.''

''How can we know that's the truth?'' Inquisitor Lavellan asked focused on keeping the Wild Hunt, and the Iron Bull, from attacking the masked man before he had had his say.

''Lying gets us nowhere, that's how!'' the masked man said fighting the close by soldiers in the Inquisitor's area of hearing. ''Eredin wants Cirilla Riannon, she came here to get Bruce out of your custody and they tracked her here.''

''So, what do we call you?'' Inquisitor asked as the masked man jumped a flip over her and hit a hound with his both hands and then turned around so that the Inquisitor could see him properly.

''I'm Batman, one Bruce Wayne's greatest creations,'' was the answer the masked man gave, ''and Cirilla Riannon is the moment securing some of your mounts to get away/lure Eredin away from your castle.''

''We need to move as well,'' Bruce Wayne, also wearing similar armor and helmet as Batman, said landing near the Inquisitor and carrying a large hammer. ''We got off the wrong foot, Inquisitor Lavellan, so I hope you understand that we are not enemies.''

''Can you lead Eredin away from Skyhold?'' Inquisitor asked looking at Wayne, annoyed that they couldn't be discussing on more important issues.

''Ciri can, but she also cannot be allowed for Eredin to capture,'' Wayne said swinging the large hammer at the soldiers of the Wild Hunt and leading their position towards the edge of the upper coutryard where the gate exit could be seen, as well as Ciri riding on a mount and pulling two more behind her. ''Our ride is here.''

''See you at the- wherever this place is,'' Batman said as he and Wayne jumped off the edge to use their cloaksto glide to the mounts and begun to ride off.

* * *

Bruce and Dick landed on their mount behind Ciri and they begun to ride off. Across the drawbridge and then

 _THOOM!_

another of the Wild Hunt's portals opened in front of them and Eredin stepped out of it. In the split seconds that the mounts raced, the King of the Wild Hunt reached his left hand towards Ciri and his sword hand with it's weapon towards Bruce.

 _WOMB!_

 _SHACK!_

 _THOMB!_

And in the next second, Eredin had grabbed Ciri into his grasp and impaled a masked man with his sword, while another masked man had fallen of his mount.

''NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!'' Bruce Wayne yelled in despair seeing yet another one of his sons killed as Eredin's sword had impaled through the chest of Dick Grayson and it was sticking out of his back.

'' _Glaeddyvan vort, Zireael_!'' Eredin told Ciri as she was about to reach her sword and he discarded Dick's body off his. ''You are-''

 **THONK!**

Bruce hit Eredin with the hammer, making him let loose of Ciri and

 **THONK!**

hit him again, making the skull-faceplate fly off and the Eredin's face show exposed.

''Thanks, but I could have handled that,'' Ciri said regaining her posture and drew her sword when

 ** _TSAAAAP!_**

the red glow from Bruce's anchor begun again as he dropped the hammer and threw his mask away when he grabbed Eredin with his right hand and shoved his glowing red hand at Eredin's exposed face.

'' _You killed my son_ ,'' Bruce spit at Eredin with rage and disgust as the red glow grew stronger in his hand as well as in the rage in his eyes. '' _You are dead, Eredin_!''

''You should count this as a favor, Cirilla,'' a voice said behind Ciri and looking there she saw Gaunter O'Dimm leaning against the wall of the gate to the mountain road, eating an apple. ''Especially when you don't even owe me anything.''

* * *

 **Author's notes:** This works as a good cliffhanger and as you can probably imagine, the reason why it took this long for me to publish this chapter was all the research I needed to do with finding the correct phrases of Elder Speech when Eredin spoke as well as mixing it with the Elven language used in Dragon Age. However, I am not breaking canon. You all know that Eredin will eventually die by Geralt's hand, not by Bruce here.

 **Replies to reviews:**

 **zachshadrack:** Well, help by using explosive batarangs Dick Grayson had on his belt to work as dimeritium bombs to shut down the Wild Hunt's portals and set, hastily, the record as clear as it could have been with the Inquisitor. By the way, as I deleted the first Behind the Scenes chapter from this story, the website drew back on on the chapter numbering and counts your latest review to be for this chapter. If you want to leave a review for this chapter, log out and leave it as a guest review.

 **Bloodmoon24:** If you have made it this far, I hope you can see that THIS IS NOT A BATMAN STORY! This IS a Dragon Age and a Witcher story because these events lead to Dragon Age Inquisition's Trespasser DLC and to the main story campaign of Witcher III: Wild Hunt! Everything that happens here affects those two stories. That is my main focus here!


	8. Chapter8:The Fallen and Those Left Alive

**Author's notes:** Sorry, for taking this long. School started and I also tried to get ahead in my _Dark Souls_ play-through. This chapter actually has a _Dark Souls_ reference in it, and a tribute side-character in honor of _Star Wars_. Mention them in a review if you notice them.

* * *

 **Chapter 8: The Fallen and Those Who Lived**

 _Skyhold_

The more soldiers of the Wild Hunt the Inquisition fought, they all tend to fade away like specters they were and the Inquisition was victorious as their number grew shorter thanks to Bruce Wayne and Batman having managed to close their portals. Eredin had disappeared for the battlefield and without him the fighting morale of the Wild Hunt had changed, but dropped. Inquisitor Lavellan knew why, she had been explained, in a haste, the added importance of Cirilla Riannon instead of just being Emperor Emhyr's daughter, but also being of importance for Eredin to have her captured by laying siege to Skyhold.

''Commander, how are our soldiers holding?'' Inquisitor Lavellan asked Cullen as she hit a soldier of the Wild Hunt with her staff.

''The enemy is loosing their numbers and their leader has already fled the field,'' Cullen reported as the battle on the upper courtyard begun to calm down. ''Skyhold remains in the Inquisition's hands.''

''Once all of the Wild Hunt's soldiers are off the castle, I want you to send soldiers and agents to relocate Wayne and Riannon-''

 ** _THRGOOOOOM!_**

A new portal opened and two new soldiers stepped in to join the battle. Imlerith and Caranthir, Eredin's generals, to show their forces how the battle was done. And that they did, throwing the Inquisition soldiers away like puppets and ragdolls with Imlerith's mace and Caranthir's spell casting, which also dropped down the temperature so that the Inquisition's soldiers couldn't move anymore except to shiver in the cold.

Except for the Grey Wardens, who still could withstand the freezing temperature and focused their attention on the Wild Hunt's generals. Thom Rainier and Ohgren attacked the Imlerith on both sides as Asoka Thano, the other new Warden with Thom, sneaked up to attack him from behind. Warden Commander Amell and Grand Enchanter Fiona focused their magic attacks on Caranthir by throwing fire at him. It brought up a short stand still, up until Warden Commander Amell noticed the dungeon entrance open with Sister Leliana and Seeker Cassandra climb out of there, ready to battle just to be hit by the freezing temperatures. And seeing her love fall down, Warden Commander Amell abandoned her attack on Caranthir and run to Leliana and Cassandra to conjure up a spell to warm them.

Which was the window of opportunity that turned the tables for Caranthir to push Grand Enchanter Fiona off her feet and at the wall, as well as give assistance to Imlerith. Ohgren was the first one to notice it, telling Thom and Asoka to,

''FALL BACK!''

from Caranthir's magical attack. Once they were on the clear, Oghren pointed Thom and Asoka to keep hitting Imlerith as he jumped at Caranthir with his axe, only to

 _FHOOM!_

Caranthir to shoot him with a powerful magic attack that freeze him solid in mid-air and then hit his remains to break them to small ice splinters, killing him. Before the other Wardens had the chance to express an emotion for their fallen brother,

 _ **TSHAAAAAP!**_

a bright red light started shining from the direction of the drawbridge.

''Hrrr, Wayne's anchor?''

* * *

''AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGGGHH!''

 **SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!**

Ciri watched as Bruce Wayne was literally burning with the red energy coming from his left hand as he was holding the King of the Wild Hunt up with his right hand and punching Eredin to his exposed face with his left. Punch by punch, Eredin seemed to weaken and it looked like the burning redness from Bruce's hand was actually hurting him, with the rage over Dick Grayson's death pushing Bruce into beating Eredin's face off.

This could have actually been it. The end for her running away from the Wild Hunt if Bruce killed Eredin here. Ciri drew her sword out, thinking she would need it, to finish off Eredin in case...

That, Caranthir and Imlerith had arrived at the other end of the drawbridge, either by Eredin having called them ahead or they had followed him there late. Bruce was still busy beating up Eredin, but he did notice Caranthir's and Imlerith's arrival, recognizing them as Wild Hunt and

 ** _TSOOOOOOORRRGGHHHH!_**

stopped beating Eredin and pointed his left hand at them, beginning to shoot the red energy at them now. The pause gave Eredin enough time to refocus and reach for his sword to use it against the preoccupied Bruce and then

 _CLAP! CLAP!_

everything stopped. Ciri noticed it first, how Eredin seemed to stop on his place while Bruce kept firing the red energy from his left hand at also frozen in their place Caranthir and Imlerith and yelling his lungs out. Ciri walked to him as Bruce started to loose his breath from the yelling and the red energy seemed to be running thin. Tired, Bruce let his hand fall down and allowed Ciri to help him stand.

''His parents... were circus acrobats... who died when their... act was sabotaged,'' Bruce spoke, still trying to catch his breath and look down on Dick's body that still had Eredin's sword sticking out of it's chest. ''I was in the crowd... saw it happen and... took him in. I wanted to give him a home and-''

 _WHOOF!_

Suddenly Dick's body begun to shine with white light and then broke into small bright lights that faded away in the air, leaving Bruce and Ciri to look at where it had been, trying to understand just happened to it.

''Oh, he is not dead, don't worry,'' a voice on their right said and they saw Gaunter O'Dimm walking towards them on the drawbridge. ''He wasn't really here, how could he have. More of his consciousness that was given a phantom shade of a body exist in and was then vanquished when he was slain.''

''That wasn't Dick?'' Bruce asked not understanding.

''Well, yes and no,'' was O'Dimm's cryptic answer. ''It's a rather interesting procedure originating from the kingdom of Lothric as I understand, but don't ask me how it's supposed to work.''

''What about all this?'' Ciri asked pointing out how the time had stopped. ''Did you do this?''

''Of course I did,'' O'Dimm said in a passive, but also in a mildly proud tone in his voice. ''Out of all the dimensions, time has always attracted me the most. Why would I waste my interest on height, length or width?''

 _SHING!_

''Who the hell are you?!'' Ciri asked as she drew her sword with her free hand to keep a distance from O'Dimm.

''Gaunter O'Dimm,'' the merchant answered delightedly. ''Also known as Master Mirror.''

''Not your damn name!'' Ciri said in an angry and impatient voice as Bruce seemed to catch his breath.

''Oh?'' O'Dimm replied rather surprised. ''You mean you wish to know what it is I do then?''

''Yes,'' Ciri shot back, with Bruce nodding in agreement.

'' _No, Cirilla, you don't_ ,'' O'Dimm said in a restrained, threatening voice that gave the image that he enjoyed keeping the knowledge Ciri demanded to have. ''Those who have learned my true nature are either dead or have have lost their minds. And I still need you both alive with your minds sharp.''

''You need us?'' Bruce said, having recovered a bit.

''You still need to go back to Fen'Harel and show that your anchor doesn't work as he hoped,'' O'Dimm said in a completely changed tone in his voice. ''As long as the time is stopped it will be safer to use your powers in going to him.''

Ciri and Bruce looked at each other and then at world as it had stopped. They looked at Eredin laying on the drawbridge and at Caranthir and Imlerith charging at them on their place. Ciri nodded and closed her eyes to concentrate on a location and

 _FLASH!_

she and Bruce were transfered elsewhere, leaving O'Dimm to the drawbridge to

 _CLAP! CLAP!_

clap his hands to make the time move again.

* * *

Thom Rainier and Asoka Thano chased after Caranthir and Imlerith as they ran down from the upper courtyard down towards the drawbridge. Making their way down to it, the new Wardens witnessed the generals of the Wild Hunt retrieve their King and create a portal to make their escape. Thom and Asoka saw no sight Wayne or anything that could have made all that red light they had see earlier. All they saw was man on the other end of the drawbridge looking back at them and smiling ominously.

''YOU!'' Thom said recognizing the man and begun to run at him, only to loose sight of him when he got to the other end of the drawbridge. ''Where did-''

Thom shook his head before running back to Asoka and together they returned to the upper courtyard, where everyone was getting back on their feet after the battle. Inquisitor Lavellan was speaking with Josephine and Cassandra while Commander Cullen was accessing the remainder of their forces and Stitches of the Bull's Chargers was helping the healers to tend the wounded. Warden Commander Amell was kneeling near Ohgren's remains with Leliana at her side, paying their respects to their old friend.

''They are gone,'' Thom told the Inquisitor. ''The Wild Hunt has left the Skyhold.''

''Thank the Maker,'' Cassandra said hearing the good news. ''What about Wayne and Riannon?''

''We didn't see them,'' Thom said.

''They have lead the Wild Hunt away for now,'' Inquisitor said understanding the situation, ''but we need to relocate them again. Leliana-''

But the Inquisitor silenced as she looked at her spymaster. Leliana was still on one knee next to Warden Commander Amell paying respects to Warden Ohgren. Thom and Asoka, Grey Wardens now too, also took a knee.

''And one day, we shall join you,'' Asoka said, finally speaking, as she looked at the melting splinters of ice that used to be Warden Ohgren. ''This is what the ones who didn't survive the Joining were spared from?''

''Yes,'' Warden Commander Amell said raising on her feet. ''I need to write a letter to Ohgren's widow. You two leave with me to Weisshaupt after that, so go say goodbyes to friends.''

''You can use one of my messenger birds,'' Leliana told Warden Commander Amell, who simply replied,

''Thank you,'' as she turned to walk up into the castle, with Thom and Asoka taking the hint and headed towards the Herald's Rest.

''I heard what you said, Inquisitor,'' Leliana said turning to speak to Inquisitor Lavellan, ''but I don't know how many of my spies are in shape to go track them after the hit we received with the temperature change.''

''What about your spies who are out there?'' Inquisitor Lavellan asked.

''I shall go write them an objective report,'' Leliana said turning to head towards her quarters.

''Cassandra, did you learn anything from Wayne when you interrogated him with Leliana?'' Inquisitor Lavellan asked.

''No, he was talented at evading questions,'' Cassandra said with the tone of distaste in her voice.

The Inquisitor sighed and shook her head. All the Inquisition could do now was sit and wait while picking themselves up.

* * *

 _Herald's Rest_

''Never thought I'd say this, but I don't want to fight those guys again anymore,'' the Iron Bull said after pouring down several drinks down his throat. ''I need someone to hit me with a stick.''

''Should that be taken as a metaphor?'' Dorian asked.

''Maybe,'' the Iron Bull said as Thom Rainier sat down to the table. ''There's the man of the hour! Our new Grey Warden.''

''Gimme a hug!'' Sera said cheerfully as she put her arm around Thom and squished him on his right side.

''Thank you, Sera. I feel very content,'' Thom said answering to Sera's hug with his right hand. ''This will be the last I'll be seeing you all for a long time. When the Warden Commander leaves, I'll be leaving with her.''

''You should have plenty of time then,'' the Iron Bull said like he was stating a fact. ''She should be plowing the sheets with Leliana long enough for us to play at least five rounds of Wicked Grace.''

''Huh?'' Varric asked confused trying to process what Bull had just said. ''Leliana and the Warden Commander?''

''Ben-Hassrath, remember?'' Iron Bull said reminding everyone of his spy background under the Qun as took another drink. ''I'm trained to notice shit like that.''

''Our spymaster is hooking up with Commander of the Grey Wardens?'' Varric said trying to picture it in his mind. ''Oh, the next issue of Swords and Shields is going to outsell all the previous ones.''

''Do write it with respect to Leliana, unless you want to wake up to her knife on your throat,'' Dorian said twirling his mustache. ''Although, it would drive Cassandra to keep her from killing you, as she is a fan of your books.''

''And she would probably want to do that herself,'' Varric said giving his plans some second thoughts. ''But we got away from the main subject. Our man Rainier is a Grey Warden now. And we're still alive after those giant elves attacked us.''

''We're alive, great!'' Sera said raising as her drink as toast and turned to look at the bard. ''Hey, Maryden, sing us the creepy song! I'm happy to alive and to hear it again, _this one time_.''

'' _Sera was never an agreeable girl, her tongue tell tales of rebellion_ ,'' Maryden begun to sing while playing her lute as the Inquisitor entered the tavern. '' _But she was so fast and quick with her bow, no one quite knew where she came from..._ ''

''Inquisitor, join us for Thom's farewell party,'' Dorian called out to Inquisitor Lavellan to sit down as Varric was shuffling his cards.

''Yes, I'll-'' the Inquisitor said sitting down and then shut down like she had migraine. ''Uhh.''

''Do you need something for that?'' Iron Bull asked while signaling Stitches to bring something.

''It's the Well of Sorrows,'' Inquisitor Lavellan said listening. ''It's telling me something. About Wayne and Riannon being at the Altar of Mythal.''

* * *

 _Arbor Wilds, Altar of Mythal_

 _FLASH!_

Ciri and Bruce appeared at a clearing where the outgrown Altar of Mythal was located and where they were supposed to reunite with Fen'Harel and Avallac'h. Although Bruce had mostly caught his breath, Ciri helped him in walking to the altar where he could sit down.

''And now we wait,'' Ciri said crossing her arms an looked around. ''We made a detour at the Inquisition's stronghold after Winter Palace and still managed to get here first.''

 _TSAAHP_ -

''What was that?'' Ciri asked turning around and reaching for her sword.

 _Tsah_ -

''Bruce?'' Ciri asked seeing Bruce looking at his left hand, of which red glowing was now dim and fading. ''Is your anchor-''

''It's weaker,'' Bruce said in a deep voice. ''I don't know if it's up to what Fen'Harel wanted it to be used.''

 _WORP_!

Just as Bruce had said it, the eluvian next to the altar turned on, with Fen'Harel and Avallac'h walking out of it.

''Nice to see you too,'' Bruce said getting on his feet to greet the elven sages. ''Did you have fun?''

''We spread the word about my return to the elves on Thedas while I also assisted Avallac'h in preparing his bases at Velen,'' Fen'Harel replied to Bruce's sarcasm. ''I expect you did your part by showing your anchor to Ambassador Briala?''

''Yes, and we also made ourselves acquainted with the Inquisition,'' Ciri said as their answer. ''Eredin also said 'hi'.''

''What!?'' Avallac'h said alarmed. ''Eredin managed to track you? HOW!?''

''The Inquisition managed to capture Bruce from the Winter Palace and I ended up needing to use my powers to not fall against the wall,'' Ciri told as a fast explanation. ''Then ended up having to witness the Wild Hunt fight against the Inquisiton on their Stronghold while we made our escape.''

''How come Eredin didn't follow you here from Skyhold?'' Avallac'h asked with skepticism as he looked around like he was expecting an ambush.

''I gave him a good beating, that's how,'' Bruce said making a fist with his left hand. ''That however took some-''

''What?'' Fen'Harel asked when Bruce didn't finish his sentence. ''What are you not telling me?''

''Well,'' Bruce said showing Fen'Harel his left hand, ''fighting Eredin drained some of the energies from my anchor. I don't know if-''

''Anchors don't run out of magical energies,'' Fen'Harel said with seriousness and deed concern in his voice. ''If it hasn't recharged itself by now-''

''It won't recharge itself at all,'' a voice said above them and looking up they saw Gaunter O'Dimm sitting on a tree branch. ''And if it doesn't, we all know it will never work as you wanted it.''

''Who is that?'' Avallac'h asked as

''What the Hell?'' Bruce said as Gaunter O'Dimm sat up from the tree branch and walked down to the ground level, on invisible steps on the air.

As he got onto the ground, Fen'Harel's face became pale with fear.

'' _You_?!''

''Yes, _Solas_ ,'' Gaunter O'Dimm said with an evil smile on his face as he looked at Fen'Harel. '' _Me_ , after all this time.''

* * *

 **Author's notes:** Storywise, we should be one or two chapters to go until we're completely done and you can learn what happens next in _Dragon Age Inquisition_ 's _Trespasser_ DLC and in _Witcher III: Wild Hunt_. As for Bruce Wayne, he will go to my other stories.

This is where I would reply to reviews, but no one reviewed the previous chapters.


	9. Something Ends, Something Begins: Ciri

**Author's notes:** I have kept a long break because school. I was also originally going to write this into a long story with three endings, but like this I can end the story from everyone's point of view to where it will lead for them. Example in the lower A/N:s.

* * *

 **Something Ends, Something Begins: Ciri's Story**

Ciri was witnessing something very bizarre, even with the standards of being raised by Witchers. Even when she and Bruce had witnessed Gaunter O'Dimm's abilities of being able to stop time and know things he shouldn't have. And even though it wasn't uncalled to expect humans to appear threatening elves, O'Dimm was by his appearance a ''mangy vagrant'' while Fen'Harel was wearing what looked like expensive wolf's fur robes. Basically what it looked like was as if a peasant was threatening a high class citizen just by his appearance.

''You cannot be here,'' Fen'Harel said backing away from O'Dimm. ''You couldn't have survived for-''

''Solas, Solas, Solas,'' O'Dimm said shaking his head amused. ''If I was able to give you the means to lifting up the Veil and create your Orb, what makes you think I wouldn't eventually come and collect what you owe me?''

''Solas? What does that mean?'' Bruce asked from his seat next to the Altar. ''You said he owed you-''

''Altar of Mythal, you chose a good place for this,'' O'Dimm said turning to Bruce's direction to look at the Altar. ''To answer your question, mister Wayne, after the Evanuris, the ancient Elves that the Dalish call their gods, had Mythal killed, Solas retaliated by lifting the Veil between this world and the Fade where all the magical energies come from. Of course, when he realized the negative effect the Veil had on the Elves, I stepped in for assistance and-''

 _Foof!_ O'Dimm raised his hand and a scroll appeared to it from smoke, revealing a contract as it opened.

''-we made our pact,'' O'Dimm continued, turning to look back at Fen'Harel with a grim look on his face. ''I would give you the means to enter the Fade, which you yourself said to be hard, so I decided to give you three attempts at this before coming to collect what you owed me.''

''What have you done?'' Avallac'h asked as Fen'Harel's face showed his unpreparedness on O'Dimm's presence.

''You had millennia to load your Orb with magic and then you foolhardily gave it to Corypheus, your first foul,'' O'Dimm kept on as he didn't allow Fen'Harel to speak out on his behalf. ''Your alliance with the Inquisition on the other had was a smart move, even if it lead to your Orb's destruction. And then as your last resort, you put your faith on Bruce Wayne and his 'anchor'.''

 _Tsap-_

 _tsap-_

 _ts-_

The anchor in Bruce's arm was practically coughing out its last bits of magic.

''Which as we see, also leads nowhere,'' O'Dimm said nodding his head at the evidence before raising the scroll higher. ''I gave you your means, three attempts to utilize them and now, it is time for you to pay up for my help.''

''What do you want?'' Fen'Harel asked as O'Dimm begun to march towards him.

''Your soul, of course,'' O'Dimm said with a content smile under his scowling glare.

''You can have it.''

''What?''

''What?''

''What?''

''What!?'' O'Dimm replied, genuinely surprised as did Ciri, Bruce and Avallac'h.

Fen'Harel put his hand on his chest, trembled it for a bit before pulling what looked like a white flame out of his chest and presented it to O'Dimm.

''Take it and go,'' Fen'Harel said in heavy voice.

O'Dimm took the white flame on his hand and examined it before nodding and putting it into a container in his satchel.

''Cirilla, Bruce, it has been a pleasure,'' O'Dimm said acknowledging them with his winning smile for one last time before

 _CLAP! CLAP!_

clapping his hands and disappeared.

* * *

''What was her name?!'' Bruce asked suddenly.

''Whose name?'' Ciri asked as Avallac'h and Fen'Harel also expressed their interest.

''I wasn't fully awake when it happened, but I remember the flash of white light and smoke,'' Bruce said taking step closer to Fen'Harel and pointed a finger at him. ''What was her name?''

''Who are you talking about-''

''DON'T PLAY STUPID WITH ME!'' Bruce suddenly yelled with anger and distrust, frightening Ciri enough to reach for her sword. ''The old woman whose soul you took before you noticed I was present!''

''When did this happen?'' Avallac'h asked stepping between Bruce and Fen'Harel, pointing his at the former.

''I was wounded and surrounded by darkness,'' Bruce said raising his left hand. ''This was the only source of light I had, until I was reached out by a voice of an old woman, who helped me out of what she called the Crossroads. She led me to the light and asked me to rest so she could tend to my wounds.''

''The wounds Keeper Hawen healed when I took you to his clan,'' Ciri said seeing some patterns in what Bruce was talking about.

''Yes, but she never got the chance, because that's he showed up,'' Bruce said as Fen'Harel didn't even look at him. ''You confessed something to her before saying you were sorry and then- That's when you stole her soul. She went limb and all life left her body.''

''Asha'bellanar's legend was at an end,'' Fen'Harel said looking at the Altar of Mythal. ''I would have needed your anchor to end what I started when she died, but now I have also found another way.''

''Do what?'' Ciri asked taking a notice in Fen'Harel's passive attitude towards Bruce's hostility.

''Enter the Fade and tear the Veil down,'' Fen'Harel answered in tone that said he was going to do it. ''The suffering of the Elves begun when I raised it up and it will end once it's gone.''

''The Veil that keeps the magical energies from running afoul?'' Ciri said understanding what Fen'Harel was talking about. ''You're going to cause the exact reason why Witchers were created, to happen anew?''

''My friend, what you are talking about rivals Eredin's madness,'' Avallac'h said attempting to reach out to Fen'Harel.

''I am not Eredin,'' Fen'Harel said still looking at Mythal's Altar. ''I take no pleasure in this.''

He was silent for a while before continuing;

''Your part in this is over. I suggest you move on.''

''How can we?'' Bruce said looking at his mask. ''You just confessed that you're going to cause a natural disaster that is going lead to high causalities.''

''I can encourage you,'' Fen'Harel responded taking his staff and

 _THOOOM!_

hit the ground with it, sending a signal Ciri could recognize in her bones.

''What did you just do!?'' Ciri yelled pulling out her sword and pointed it at Fen'Harel's neck.

''I sent a magical pulse assimilating your Elder Blood powers,'' Fen'Harel said passively. ''You might have bested Eredin for the moment, but he still has his generals. They will be here soon, _so I suggest you move now_!''

 _THRGOOOON!_

A portal used by the Wild Hunt appeared and soldiers walked out. Ciri reached for Avallac'h to use her powers to move away.

''Bruce!''

''They are not after me,'' Bruce said refusing the offer and putting his mask back on. ''GO! I make sure Fen'Harel takes my place in the Inquisition's dungeons.''

* * *

Ciri made Avallac'h and herself transfer away just as they saw Bruce attack Fen'Harel as the soldiers of the Wild Hunt charged at them. She had thought up a place the Wild Hunt wouldn't guess right away for them.

''Skellige,'' Ciri said recognizing the sea air and the trees in the rain. ''We should make our way to Kaer Trolde and board a ship to Velen from there.''

''I have a laboratory there, one that Fen'Harel helped me set up,'' Avallac'h said casting a field above them to cover them from the rain. ''We should prepare for his plans also.''

''You think Bruce succeeds in taking him to Inquisition?'' Ciri asked brushing the rain water off herself to

''No, Zireael,'' Avallac'h said shaking his head as they made their way through the forest. ''It is unlikely.''

 _THRGOOOOON!_

''They followed us!'' Ciri said shaken as to see the Wild Hunt having traced them down this quickly and drew her sword as they were surrounded.

The soldiers of the Wild Hunt attacked them and Ciri answered in kind. Her sword took down a handful of foot soldiers before the elite soldiers arrived. Ciri moved around with them in a stand still until

 _THOOOOOM!_

''My laboratory in Velen by the lake near Fyke Isle!'' Avallac'h said casting a large explosion around them to push the elite soldiers of the Wild Hunt back and opened a portal of his own. ''Meet me there!''

''But-''

''GO ZIREAEL!'' Avallac'h yelled as a command as more elite soldiers appeared.

Ciri did as she was told, but didn't manage run in before

''AARGH!''

one elite soldier managing to land a hit on her left shoulder.

Getting through the portal Ciri found herself at Velen, but not near where she was supposed to end up. She was nowhere near the lake where Avallac'h's laboratory was supposed to be, she was standing in the middle of a wet and dark bog.

Ciri reached out to look at her wounded shoulder. It was bleeding and needed to be treated. Looking around her surroundings she managed to recognize what appeared to be a small village in the middle of the bog. Where there would be people, she could find help. She couldn't afford to be picky so she started to approach the village, slowly loosing blood and her walking turning to stumbling.

By the time she did make it to the nearest huts in the village, Ciri had lost enough blood to lose her consciousness, fall to the ground and into the hands of the Crones of the Crookback Bog.

* * *

 **Author's notes:** Okay, this is the earliest point Ciri made her appearance in _Witcher III: Wild Hunt_ , when discounting Geralt's dream in the beginning where she was a young girl. That's how Ciri and Avallac'h lost contact in Skellige and how Ciri ended up at the Crookback Bog.

Next chapter will have the Inquisition exchanging notes with the Nilfgaardians. Bruce might get his own ending chapter.

 **Replies to reviews:**

 **Lio:** At the very least, Solas has now given away his soul and compassion that he, in my opinion, lacked in _Trespasser_.


	10. Something Ends, Something Begins

**Author's notes:** FINALLY! In this final chapter writing this story started to feel like a chore. I worked really hard to meet my original expectations of reaching points where I could leave them so that I could leave them with a ''To be continued where-it-does-in-the-franchises''.

But I did it. Not perfectly maybe, feel free to complain if this chapter feels rushed, because I wrote all the endings just prior the publication.

Anyway, here it is, the final chapter.

* * *

 **Something ends, something begins**

This was the endgame. Ciri and Avallac'h had made their escape from the Wild Hunt and Bruce had stood back because the Wild Hunt wasn't his problem and he wasn't theirs. Fen'Harel, or Solas as Gaunter O'Dimm had called him, had confessed the reason and means he had planned to use Bruce's anchor for. Tearing down an inter dimensional barrier called the Veil, that would cause unstable magical energies to run wild and lead to multiple deaths.

'' _Jesus, Alfred, count at the dead. It's thousands of people. What's next? Millions_?''

''A ruse,'' Bruce said as the soldiers of the Wild Hunt didn't attack him or even move. ''You were just trying to scare them away.''

''I would not let Eredin get his hands on Zireael,'' Solas replied as his defense. ''She is still needed to stop the White Frost.''

''Making sure one natural disaster doesn't happen so the one you're planning can happen,'' Bruce said walking a circle around Solas. ''You're no different from someone else I know.''

''I am not Corypheus, Eredin or Ra's al Ghul,'' Solas said reminding Bruce that he had read his memories from his dreams. ''I take no joy or pride from any of this.''

"'For the good of the planet and for my people' exactly what Ra's would say,'' Bruce said pointing out his comparison. ''You don't have any faith in the humanity. Or if you did, you just gave it to Gaunter O'Dimm with your soul, didn't you?''

Solas responded by drawing out his staff and pulling the wolf's head hood to cover his head.

''Well, I tried,'' Bruce said drawing the grabble gun and threw gas pellets between them.

Solas first attack was immolating the spot Bruce had been, only to spread the smoke and reveal Bruce had changed his position.

''Fascinating, but fruitless,'' Solas said scouring his surrounding area. ''We are fighting in a bright clearing and not is a dark city. You are out of your element here, Batman.''

''That has never stopped me before,'' Bruce's voice said from above the trees. ''But if you want to level the playing field-''

PTOOTH!

The grabble gun was fired and Solas reacted by turning to where he had heard it. From right above him where Bruce was freefalling right towards Solas, with the grabble gun's line and hook reaching towards

THOCK!

Solas' staff. When they made contact, Bruce pulled the line to get the staff pulled from Solas hand and use it to soften his landing, before

CRACK!

breaking the staff in two pieces.

''How is your hand to hand?'' Bruce asked throwing the pieces away.

FOOM!

Solas reached his hand towards Bruce, conjuring an aura around his body and lifted him in the air.

''Understand this, Bruce Wayne, what will happen is not your concern,'' Solas told Bruce as he approached him. ''It is my burden to bear-''

 _Vworp!_

Thomb!

Small pulse charge from Bruce's anchor caused the aura around him to dissolve and in the shock of surprise, Bruce kicked Solas to the side of his head and punched him to the ground.

''Believe me, I understand,'' Bruce said pushing his foot on Solas' head. ''You want to save your people by killing those you see superior to you. I have been in that place before too.''

'' _If we believe there's even a one percent chance that he is our enemy, we have to take it as an absolute certainty. And we have to destroy him_.''

'' _I failed him, in life. I won't fail him in death._ ''

'' _People are still good. We fight, we kill, betray one another. But we can rebuild. We can be better. We have to_.''

''You don't have to take that route, Solas,'' Bruce said trying to reach down to the elf. ''You can work with the Inquisition to help your people without resorting to-''

CHACK!  
CHACK!

Two shots right into his back, Bruce was caught off guard. Bruce lost his footing and fell on his side.

''Forgive, Bruce, I was wrong about you,'' Solas said still laying on the ground next to wounded Bruce. ''You had the right idea of what should be done, but unfortunately it is a road I cannot take anymore. If I could, I would take your course of action.''

''Solas... don't…'' Bruce begged gasping for air.

''Goodbye,'' Solas replied and

 _Foof!_

phased away, leaving Bruce to bleed out in the clearing.

* * *

''Bianca!''

Inquisitor Lavellan had raced as fast as she could to the Altar of Mythal with Cassandra, Dorian and Varric. It was a long way, but the Inquisition's mounts were the finest you could find in Thedas thanks to Horsemaster Dennet. Getting closer to the clearing where the Altar was located, Varric's crossbow, Bianca, had been pulled out from Varric's hands and towards the Altar.

As they reached to the clearing, where they had expected to find Bruce Wayne and Cirilla Riannon as the Well of Sorrows had told the Inquisitor, all they could find was Wayne. Laying on the ground near Bianca, bleeding out from the wounds on his back.

''Wayne!'' Inquisitor Lavellan called out as they reached to Wayne, whose skin had already begun to pale from the blood loss. ''He is badly wounded. We need to get him help-''

''Solas…'' Wayne grabbed the Inquisitor from her collar to pull her closer.

''What?'' Inquisitor Lavellan said in the shock of surprise hearing her missing lover's name from the dying man.

''Solas… is…'' Wayne tried to say before, letting go and falling back to the ground, dead.

''Solas is what?'' Inquisitor Lavellan asked desperate to know what Wayne had tried to say. ''Wayne, why did you say that name?''

''He was shot with Bianca's bolts,'' Varric said having collected his crossbow. ''Was he trying to say Solas took Bianca and-''

''WAYNE! WHY DID YOU SAY SOLAS' NAME!?'' Inquisitor Lavellan yelled shaking Wayne's dead body.

''Something happened here that caused him to die,'' Cassandra said looking down on the deceased as the realist among them. ''Whatever that was and he tried to tell us, that knowledge is dead with him.''

Dorian kneeled next to the Inquisitor to look at Wayne's dead body and reached to remove his mask.

''Based on the look on his face, he was desperate to tell us whatever he was trying to tell us,'' Dorian said putting his hand over Wayne's eyes and closed them. ''It is a shame that Necromancy doesn't work so that it could be used to ask him what that was.''

''Inquisitor, what do you wish to do next?'' Cassandra asked.

Inquisitor Lavellan looked at Wayne's face and then down to the heralding on his armor's chest, remembering the young man dressed in a similar armor and mask who had come to his assistance at Skyhold.

''He has friends and family somewhere, carrying this symbol as he is,'' Inquisitor Lavellan said getting back on her feet. ''We take him with us back to Skyhold and let Josephine and Leliana find them, so he can be taken back home.''

* * *

 _Skyhold_

Returning to their stronghold took it's time, but eventually they did. Wayne's remains were carried on Varric's mount, who felt guilty that his crossbow had been used to cause his death. Riding their mounts on the drawbridge to the gate, they found Josephine waiting for them, looking more anxious than usual, which was odd since she has usually been good at hiding that.

''Inquisitor, you need to follow me to the War Room immediately,'' Josephine said as soon as she saw them.

''What is it?'' Inquisitor Lavellan asked.

''I cannot say it out here,'' Josephine said with a strict attitude. ''Now, it is urgent.''

''We will handle Wayne,'' Varric said reassuringly with Dorian and Cassandra nodding.

Inquisitor Lavellan took it to follow Josephine up to the upper courtyard and inside the castle. They walked through the Great Hall and Josephine's office to the hallway leading to the War Room. Warden Commander Amell was sitting on a bench outside the door and greeted the Inquisitor as she walked past her.

In the War Room, Leliana and Cullen were standing on their usual places on the other side of the war table where Josephine also took her place. But there were three other people in the War Room as well, two men and a woman wearing traveling cloaks that helped them stay incognito.

''Inquisitor Lavellan,'' Josephine said as one of the men turned to face the Inquisitor and removed his cloak to reveal a stern older man with long, graying black hair, ''I present to you Emhyr var Emreis, the Emperor of Nilfgaard.''

'' _Caedmil_ , Inquisitor,'' Emperor Emhyr said greeting the Inquisitor in the same language that Eredin had used.

'' _Anderan atish'an_ , your highness,'' Inquisitor Lavellan greeted the Emperor in Elven and nodded her head as a bowing gesture. ''What do we owe this pleasure?''

''As I understand, it was your Ambassador who contacted us with information that pulled me from leading my forces against Redenia,'' Emperor Emhyr said. ''You said you had contacted my daughter?''

''Yes, we sent a messenger raven to you,'' Inquisitor Lavellan said acknowledging it. ''But I understand Nilfgaard being far to the east from Ferelden, on the other side of the ocean. How did you manage to come here this fast?''

Emperor Emhyr answered this question by directing the Inquisitor's attention to the woman accompanying him.

''This is Yennefer of Vernerberg from the Lodge of Sorceresses,'' Emperor Emhyr said as the woman removed her cloak to reveal the face inhumanely beautiful woman with raven colored black hair. ''Duties and responsibilities to the Empire would keep me in Vizima, but sorceresses' traveling magic gave me a window of opportunity to respond to your Inquisition's letter in person.''

''Convenient,'' Inquisitor Lavellan said glancing at the sorceress and mentally comparing her to Morrigan while assuming the third person was soldier ordered to protect the Emperor. ''So you came to ask for-''

''Your Ambassador informed me that your Inquisition encountered my daughter with a person of interest,'' Emperor Emhyr answered in a stern attitude while glaring at Josephine and Cullen. ''I was also told by your general about the visitors you got before our arrival.''

The meeting was conducted as changing of notes. Emperor Emhyr was told of Bruce Wayne, his anchor and how he was captured at the Halam'Shiral, where he had been in the company of Cirilla Riannon. Of how after Wayne had been brought to Skyhold, it was attacked by the Wild Hunt, who had retreated to go after Wayne and Riannon, and how Wayne had been found dying at the Altar of Mythal, alone.

''And where is Wayne now?'' Emperor Emhyr asked.

''He died before we got back here,'' Inquisitor Lavellan said. ''I'm afraid we don't have a lot of information to- ''

''Where are you keeping Wayne's body?'' Yennefer asked.

''Excuse me?'' Inquisitor Lavellan asked.

''Bruce Wayne's body,'' Yennefer said repeating her question, ''where is it?''

* * *

 _Skyhold, Infirmary_

Bruce Wayne's remains were already being tended by mages. Morrigan, Vivienne and Fiona had already when they had learned about him developed an interest on the anchor in his left hand and how it's magical origin. With Wayne dead now, asking him about it was out of the table and it was up to them to study and learn about what it was by doing tests and-

''Step away from the body,'' was called from the door.

''What is-'' Fiona asked until she, Vivienne and Morrigan were brushed away from Wayne's body by Yennefer's hand gesture.

''Timetable, I don't have a lot of time,'' Yennefer said with her hand glowing with magic as she approached Bruce Wayne's body on the table it was laying. '' _Celain, celain, deffraen_!''

''My dear Inquisitor, who is this woman?'' Vivienne asked as Inquisitor Lavellan arrived to the infirmary.

''Yennefer of Vernerberg, she was sent by the Nilfgaardians,'' Inquisitor Lavellan answered as Yennefer continued casting her spell on Bruce Wayne's dead body.

'' _Celain, celain, davedar_!'' Yennefer continued as black fog begun to gather around the body. Then-

''GHAAAAAAAAP!''

Bruce Wayne suddenly grasped for air as black fire around him forced him to open his eyes and his body flexed out. The sudden resurrection at the hands of the sorceress shocked the mages, the Inquisitor as well as Varric and Hawke who had also been looking after Wayne's remains. Only Yennefer stood her ground by his side.

''Are you the one they call Bruce Wayne?'' Yennefer asked firmly keeping herself in charge.

'' _I am… VENGENCE! I AM… THE KNIGHT!_ '' Wayne groaned in pain while also trying to gasp for air to his lungs. ''I… AM… BAT-''

''I don't care about your titles,'' Yennefer said doing a pull gesture with her hand as to pull Wayne to a better restraint. ''You are the last known person seen a young woman with ashen hair and green eyes? Are you not?''

 _Vworp…_

''Cccciri,'' Wayne hissed from behind his teeth. ''Sshhhee'sss withhhh… Avallaaac'hhh…''

''Where are they?'' Yennefer asked a little calmer but still kept herself in the dominating position.

Vworp..!

''Solas…'' Wayne said as his voice begun to sound clearer for Inquisitor Lavellan to recognize that name again, ''mentioned Velen. He scared them away-''

''What about Solas!?'' Inquisitor Lavellan asked barging her way between Yennefer and Wayne. ''Have you seen him? Where is he!?''

 _ **VWORP!**_

 _ **TSAAAP!**_

Getting closer to Wayne, his and the Inquisitor's anchors came into close contact and it made them both react. Magical energies poured from the Inquisitor's anchor to Wayne's anchor, which started to give out a pulse, which in turn started to repel the black fog from around Wayne's body.

''What the hell is happening?'' Varric said knowing he would never have the imagination to make something like this up in one of his books.

''She has healed, finally, the unpure blood has been purged,'' Cole said, revealing himself sitting on a table next to Wayne. ''The part of her in you is not sick anymore. She can move on now.''

''Kid, what is that supposed to mean?'' Varric asked when the pulses coming from Wayne's anchor begun to come out stronger.

VWORP!

VW _ORP!_

 _VWORP!_

 _VW_ **ORP!**

 **VWORP!**

 **THUMB!**

And as they did, Wayne begun to phase out of the existence until he was no longer there.

* * *

 _Back in the War Room_

''I can theorize that whatever the origin for Wayne's anchor was, it reacted to my necromancy by returning his life essence to his body and with the Inquisitor's anchor revitalized his body back to life,'' Yennefer said explaining what had happened at the Infirmary, according to her understanding. ''His whereabouts are best left to speculation, but he managed to tell me what we came here to do.''

''Tell what has become of Cirilla?'' Emperor Emhyr asked, passively demanding for the answer.

''He mentioned Velen and an Avallac'h who is supposed to be in her company,'' Yennefer answered.

''Aen Seidhe name,'' Emperor Emhyr replied turning around. ''She is running from Eredin and Wild Hunt with another elf.''

Then he turned back around to face Inquisitor Lavellan.

''We have learned everything we can here,'' he said as a declaration. ''Thank you for your hospitality. It is time that we return to Vizima.''

''Of course, your highness,'' Josephine said keeping up the diplomatic relations with a positive reply.

THOOM!

Yennefer raised her arms and spread them to open a magical portal for her and for the Emperor to leave. They did, leaving the Inquisitor and her advisors to the War Room.

''Well, that situation concluded quickly,'' Inquisitor Lavallan said as they left to leave the War Room as well through Josphine's office. ''Suppose we hear about-''

''Revered Mother,'' Leliana said as they stepped into Josephine's office where there was a Revered Mother from the Chantry waiting for them.

''Your Worship,'' the Revered Mother said addressing Inquisitor Lavellan, ''I bring news from Val Royeaux. The Clerics of the Chantry have come to united vote for the next Divine.''

''Really? I mean, that is good,'' Inquisitor said so surprised she almost missed the point of the message. ''Who got chosen?''

''Sister Leliana, Your Worship.''

 **TO BE CONTINUED IN** _DRAGON AGE INQUISITION: TRESSPASSER DLC_

* * *

 _White Orchid_

A fight had sparked out in a tavern at White Orchid from a patron not being pleased at the barkeep's open attitude at the Nilfgaardians. The patron had taken it up to abuse the Barkeep, to which an elderly Witcher had stepped in between, only to antagonize the rest of the patrons and their superstitions on Witchers. The fight ended with most of the patrons dead and two Witchers walking out of the tavern, only to be confronted by Nilfgaardian soldiers.

''That brawl? We didn't start it,'' the other, younger Witcher said to their defense, but his attitude quickly changed.

''Excuses, excuses…'' raven haired sorceress said walking towards them from the middle of the soldiers, ''you've haven't changed a bit.''

''Ye… Yen? How?''

 **TO BE CONTINUED IN** _WITCHER 3: WILD HUNT_

* * *

 _Somewhere far away_

Rain, it was going to rain soon, and yet it felt like his clothes were already wet. His breathing also felt hard to do in the fog, and as he felt the spot in his body where it stung, he felt the blood from reopened wounds. He had been shot and… what had happened them? How had he ended up here and where was here?

Working his way up on his feet, he knew he had to get out of this alley. It hurt and it took a lot of effort. When he was up on his feet, he could see light on at the end of the alley. And where there was light, there would be people.

''Hey!'' he tried to speak with his voice not carrying very far.

He needed to get to the people at the light where the people would be. Walking would have been easier if he didn't need to keep preassure on his reopened wounds and the only way he could stay up was to lean against the wall.

BANG!

Then he heard the gun shot.

BANG!

And the other shot, that drew attention to the opposite direction from where he was. He needed to get out faster if he was going to get help from the people at the light when they still could see him.

 **TO BE CONTINUED IN** _CONSPIRACY THEORY OF GOTHAM CITY_

* * *

 **Author's notes:** Because the _Trespasser DLC_ starts from a two years later from where _Dragon Age Inquisition_ ends, I just felt like leaving it to the election of the new Divine, who in the play-through where I played as female mage, ended up being Leliana.

As for the _Witcher_ Ending, on both of my play-throughs, New Game and New Game Plus, I chose to romance Yennefer, so it felt natural to leave that part of the story to where she and Geralt are reunited in White Orchid in the beginning of the game.

Bruce's ending on the other hand, it leaves to a fanfic I wrote a year and a half ago, named up there, which had this cold opening.

 **Replies to review:**

 **Everyone:** I would like to thank everyone who has followed this story, marked it as their favorite and kept reading it to keep me on writing it to it's finish. You guys are great!

 **Lio:** Thanks for sticking around for the end regardless. I still had to hold up the canon because this was an in-between story where Solas would end up where we saw him in _Trespasser DLC_. I hope the Nilfgaardian interaction wasn't too rushed(who am I kidding, of course it was).


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